The Black Wolves
by ZeroInk
Summary: On a distant world on the very edge of Imperium space a boarder system is savaged by a recently discovered alien race, known as the Tau. They claim this system, its worlds and inhabitants for their "Grater Good" They have all but succeeded in total conquest. While they have control over a vast continent on the Imperial world of Ternial, a small but significant island still remains


The sky was a light blue, small hazy cloud lay before them. The gentile vibration of the two turbofan engines, as they pulsated. It was too almost peaceful until a large shadow covered him. It was his number two. The pilot looked up as the Thunderbolt slipped from his left to his right.

"Nice day for it" a voice broke on the vox

"Rodger that Three" he said.

The small formation of four Thunderbolts, standard petrol flight. They had been stationed on this world for almost three months now, and only seen action ten times. The rest of the time has been petrol, recon or escort flights. Not what they had in mind for a Hunter squadron.

Their Colthian-pattern bolts had extra space for fuel and ammunition and thicker armour around the important parts. The aircraft looked the same in their black and gray camouflage

pattern, each one bore a white number stencilled on their tail and fuselage. Lead was serial zero-two-one and also bore the markings of a squadron leader, Two was serial one-five, Three was serial zero-two-six and Four was serial zero-five. The four planes turned south-east, this was their home run, and it was easy, too easy. Lead had got them to make sharp manuvers and "hunted" a squad of local T-5 Scorpion fighters just to keep their skills toned. This caused a bit of a stir, but it was all in good fun. No live rounds or las just a lock tone and the smaller Scorpion fighters where "dead". The two leaders knew each other well, and the squadrons often did competitions with each other. The losing team had to buy the winners the liquor. So far it was an even score.

The leader was about to call it in when they received a priority message from flight operations.

"This is Operations to Thunderbolt formation, do you copy lead?"

"Operations this is Lead, copy you Four-A"

"There's a group of bombers on a return flight, they are being hounded by the enemy, reports say one already down and another with an engine fire, your squad is the only one near enough to help them"

"Received Operations. We will deal"

He then adjusted his mask

"Wolf lead to Wolf flight, Make bearing two-one-zero North, full burn"

"This is Two Rodger"

"Three Copy"

"Four ready"

"Three, two, one...MARK"

The four planes turned, and then hit their afterburners going full throttle to help the bomber formation.

The group of six Marauder Bombers who had already hit their target but now the enemy where nipping at their heels. Revenge flight, or the 93rd Bomber wing Imperial Navy, had already lost their rear plane, and _Emperor's Assassin _in the five position and was weeping smoke from its second port engine, its top and tail gunners trying desperately to keep their pursuer from shooting them down, while the pilots struggled to keep the bomber in the air.

"Bats all over us" shouted Vackers the rear gunner of the _Assassin_.

"Don't you think I know that, gunners keep those bastards off our six!" shouted Capitan Bermo the _Assassin's _pilot

"That's what I'm trying to do!" snapped his top gunner, he was only nineteen but was already well set as part of the crew

"Sir! Auspex picked up four more inbound, fast moving at our six"

"Some of their friends" he toggled the comms, but before he could say anything the formations leader Revenge One exploded in a huge fireball. Its tail section hit their plane's nose shattering the gunner's canopy. Bermo had to push _Assassin _almost beyond her limits just to avoid more of the leader's debris.

The four bolts screamed to the bomber formation

"Lead, this is Four"

"Copy Four"

"Did you see that? The lead bomber just got iced!"

"I did...Full burn Wolves, make one pass with las, then switch to autos"

Each pilot knew what to do. They followed their leader in perfect formation.

They came up behind the bats, which were too busy to notice the approaching bolts. They shot past the bats and the bombers, two over and two under, four perusing bats falling out of the sky.

"Wolves split and kill"

Without saying a word the four Thunderbolt separated, banked hard around and came back to the bats still on the Marauders. The lead bolt went vertical as it went between the bombers, its nose lit up and another bat fell from the sky.

The crews of the remaining Marauders watched in awe as the four Imperial fighters danced and flicked as more streams of white and black smoke marking more kills. There was only two bats left and they were already burning for home.

"Wolves Three and Four, no survivors"

"Copy lead" replied Wolf four

"On them now" said Wolf Three

The two planes burned after the fleeing enemy, they where small local machines that had speed but the Imperials had skill and expertise on their side. The two pilots fired a short burst, too far to hit anything, but that was to make the fleeing bats move to where they wanted them to go. With precision and synchronisation both planes fired a short las burst, and the bats disappeared behind white smoke and shards. The bolts broke off their pursuit. A fine scores seven bats down with two more possible. Each pilot got good kills, Wolf Two made three, the other made one or two each. Wolves Three and Four had a possible each.

"This is Wolf leader to Marauder flight, what's your status?"

"This Revenge Two, we are ok, my planes damaged"

"Rodger that, we will remain with you as escort"

"Thank you for the assist Thunderbolts, say who are you? What's your squadron?"

"The names Silvas, Hans Silvas of the 187th Imperial Colthian Air Corps"

The four Thunderbolts remained with the remaining Marauders. Three of them flew in a cover formation, with the fourth at high point scoping for any intercepts. Within forty minutes the planes hand landed and powered down. This wasn't the bolt pilot's airfield, but they did have the facilities to re-arm and re-fuel Thunderbolt fighters. The squadron of Thunderbolts assigned to the FAB where already aloft. Their fitters looked over the strangers fighters as if they where some alien device, but they ran to them as like they were trained to do. As the pilots stepped out of their planes the base personnel saw how different they were. Each pilot wore a black and gray cammo pattern flight suite, their planes where done as stripes, the pilots had theirs in blotches. Their flight armour was a solid gray colour. They had a service las pistol strapped to their thighs. On their shoulders they bore the shield crest of their home worlds military. Each pilot checked their planes post flight for any damage, so far each one made it out without a scratch.

The tallest one, a man with tanned skin and shot silver hair stood silent looking at his plane's nose, it was stencilled with a single word _Eranea _he then patted the aircraft as if it was some faithful hound. A younger man came up next to him, he was broader at the shoulders. He stood beside the tall man.

"She's done you well"

"Every time I return, she always reminds me why I continue to fight and why I gave my life in service to the God-Emperor of Man"

"And I'm sure he wouldn't want to keep you from your lady too long"

"You always know what to say" The tall man chuckled.

The pilots took this opportunity to rest up before their long flight back to their base. They sat in the dispersal room and found the squadron who was stationed here. It was their crest that caught their eye, a double headed eagle holding a lightning bolt in its talons, it read "Phantine XX"

"I've heard of them, tough squadron" said Flight Lt Dakker, the Wolves number three.

"Different too" replied Pilot Officer Vorlis, Wolf four

"Only Imperial Guard fighter group, their world has no real land mass"

"You either fly or you die"

"They took some serious losses on Eithos"

"If we had been there, that war would have been over in days"

"I hear you brother"

"What do you think?" they both turned to the tall man with silver hair, he was looking at some of the squadrons holophotes many of happier times. He was reading the names of the fallen pilots, he didn't know them but he did feel connected to them, fellow pilots lost in combat, who gave their lives for a world not of their own

"I think we shouldn't out stay our welcome" he replied not even looking up

"Mers is right, besides I don't think the Phantine's would appreciate coming back and finding different bolts hogging their hard stands, and strange pilots in their dispersal room"

"Strange? Maybe Dax there but not me"

"Speak for you self"

"Easy guys, but we should get back, I don't think Ferries can keep the kids occupied for long"

The pilot's gathered up their flight gear and began to suit up one of the squadrons fitters came running in "Sirs" he said panting

The older Colthian pilot looked at him "Easy son, take a breath"

The fitter steadied himself and took a breath "Sir the squadron is inbound I suggest you guys take off ASAP"

The pilots looked at each other and agreed they will hurry, all but four of their bolts could land. But if fuel was an issue, it would be a waste.

The pilots ran out to their waiting planes. Silvas got strapped into to his plane in time to hear operations

"..Repeat this is Operations to Black Wolf squadron."

"This is Wolf leader, receiving" he spoke into his mask as he was strapping it on

"Request you take off immanently, Inbound are low fuel, thirty seconds out"

"Received, Wolves on start up, and vector lift. Up in ten"

The combined noise of the turbofans was almost deafening, some of the fitters where clear one or two remained to see the allied planes aloft. The yellow boarding ladders where removed as the pilots sealed themselves in.

"Wolf Lead to Wolf group, check in"

"This is Wolf Two, ready"

"Lead this is Three I'm four-A"

"Four is set"

"Set to vertical flight, and raise on my command"

The vector jets increased as they lifted the lead plane off the hard stand "Wolves rise up with me" the other three Thunderbolts rose from the ground "Nicely done, now let's move out of the way and see the locals home"

The twelve Thunderbolts inbound saw these black planes hovering over their hard stands. "This is Umbra leader to unidenited bolts, please state your reason for behing here"

There was a short pause "Wolf lead to Umbra lead, please forgive our intrustion mammzel, we escorted a group of Maruders here, and your base commander was kind enough to let us rest and refuel, and we throught we would stay and see fellow fliers down safely"

"Well thank you, we can manage, and its commander" Jadger said

"Of coruse, appoliges. The name is Major Hans Silvas"

"Commander Bree Jadger, charmed Im sure"

"See you in the skies commander"

"Likewise Major"

"Wolf flight, thank Umbra for their hospitality"

In unison the other three bolts had tipped their nosese. Then each one rose and thundered off into the blue sky.

"They seemed like a nice groupe" said Umbra Three

"Agreed" responded Jadger, as they stat their planes on the hard stands.

Speeding along the sky at four thousand meters and trawling at top speed, the four Thunderbolts of the Black Wolf squadron could see for miles around.

"Operations this is Wolf lead, we are inbound five-one-zero west, four thousand, ETA twenty-two minuets"

"Recvied Wolf leader"

"Wolf Four to lead"

"Go Four"

"I'm getting a hard return on the auspex, its strange"

"Why is it strange?"

"Its moving too slow and I'm getting mixed readings"

"Operations this is Wolf lead" static "Wolf leader to Operations, respond", still static. Silvas's pulse raced , he started to scan the skies "Operations respond"

"Wolf leader to group, it seems we are on our own here. Two you and Four go low max to one thousand, Three you are with me. Brake on my mark, three...two...one mark"

The formation split, two planes going up, two going down "Autos live" Slivas said in the vox as he stiched his own weapons.

"Lead...Two...unideified..."

"Say again Two your braking up"

"Boss!" Deker shouted "Below us, I see gun fire!"

"Stoop and sting!"

The two planes inverted and power dived down to where Wolf two and four where. Their auspex systems when baserk giving many faulse readings.

"Wolf three, looks like we are gonna have to rely on our eyes"

"Copy lead"

This will be a challege, primale instices. No auspex, lock systems. Just good old fastioned hunting.

Three had already come down on a blue coloured bat it was turning hard trying to not to plant its self into the mountain wall, but Daker got it on the return and fired a short burst. Hardrounds cliped its wing and engine fliping it nose over tail, it corkscrewed down into the vally wall, a flash.

Silvas pulled in and had to slame his speed brakes and rench the stick hard as two more bats pulled up to intercetped him. They flew over too fast, turned and where soon stung up passing las shots from Wolf Two and Four.

"Your six is clear Boss"

"Copy Four"

The younger pilots had got into the habbit of calling Silvas "Boss", this was only used during internal vox convos. For Operations they still refered to him as Leader.

He looked down and saw his auspex system begin to clear, and hiding behind a cloud he saw what was cuseing their systems to go haywire.

A large machine, a quad engined beast with a large black dome on its back. And gun ports on its flanks. This was what the bats where trying to protect. He made the oldest mistake, he had spend a full five seconds stairing at the monstrosity he had zipped past it, a forward gunport chasing after his tail. Suddenly his vox and auspexs all cleared up, he was now less then a thounsand meters under it.

"Operations, Operations, this is Wolf leader"

"Operations here, Where the hell have you been we've been-"

"No time, have spotted a new enermy machine, its been jamming our systems. Requesting back up"

"Size and strength?"

"Unknown size, fifteen plus bats" he looked out and saw what looked like a comet streaking down to the ground, he hoped it was one of the bats, and not one of his "We are four, repeat four planes, ammo and fuel wont last long"

"Understoon, we have two wings inbound one north and one east, eta six minuets"

"Copy that, we will stay on station as long as we can, be advised, Jammer at normal Thunderbolt operation hight"

"Recvied we will advised"

Sunddely there was a lock tone, a Barracuda had spotted him, and belived him to be running. A target of opertunity. But Silvas was already speeding up. A manuover he had used on his first sortie, that soon became part of the text books.

He made sure the Barracuda was still tight on his tail, deying it the chance to fire, pulling hard on the stick he lifted his fighter to an almost vertical climb, and contiuned moveing into an arc. The Barracuda pilot turned hard to the right thinking he was about to locked. But the trun was exacterly what Silvas wanted. Viffting to the left he didnt need a lock tone. Colthian pilot where taught to not always relay on technolagy. He leaded the Tau fighter in his gun sight, depressing the gun studd his bolts nose lit up, with the angel of deflection the rouns hit and striped the bat's body plating away. A round hit a fule tank, there was now white haze streaming out of the right wing. It pulled up hard trying to escap, but more rounds hit its midsection. Its canopy riped off, Silvas had to bank hard to avoid it hitting his wing, but the bat was dead. It banked to the right and continued untill it hit the ground. Silvas seventh kill of this tour.

Two other Thunderbolt wings came in at full burn, the first wing was a Navy wing, the 136th StromRiders, and the Phantine XX, all bolts had engaged as Silvas pulled up to rejoin the engagment.

"Wolf lead to Umbra and Strom"

"Copy Wolf leader" Jagda responded

"Storm One here" Silvas liked this Navy man, he was better then most and polite, noblity and honor surounded him

"Be advised, Jammer blocking vox coms to Operations, close vox ok, watch each others backs"

Both leaders responded, and issued the same commands to their groups.

The brawl was intensive, more bats stung, but due to the valley walls it was tough work not crashing in to them. Some of the Navy pilots chased bats into crashing, conserving ammo maybe, but it was effective. He now set his sights on the large jammer. Its gunports opend up on him. "Its just an over grown bomber" he said tom him self, he trired going for the left engines but a rear gunner put a few hard rounds in to zero-two-one's wing, he managed to vifft out pumping a few of his own rounds into its flank. He must of hit something as two of the gunports suddenly stoped. He dived down under it, the guns trying to track him. But he cam in level and lead the cockpit section, swtiching to las he got a lock tone. The kill shot. Pressing his trigger the blue coloured traces of las engery shot out and almost cut the section off, getting too close he swtiched back to the auto guns and fired again white smoke began to pour from the craft and it nose diped to the ground.

He was only going to get one chance, too soon and he was slam into its belly, too late and he would clip a drive section, it had to be perfect. He counted down, a collistion warning sounded. Dont think just react, he remember his flight instructor say, he slammed his throttle to full, his engines lit up, steady, steady. The turbofans gave a high pitch scream, the airframe shook as he flew through the dying machine' jet wash pulling out, he slowed his plane down, tilting it to the left he saw the monster fall and crash into the valley walls. All of their systems suddenly came to life, vox, auspexs.

"I reapet this is Foresight Operations, someone answer me for Thrones sake!"

"Calm down, you will live longer, this is Wolf lead, reading you loud and deffently clear" Silvas chuckled

"What the hell was going on? We lost all tracking and contact as soon as those planes entered the valley"

"I will explain on the ground, they have something new"

"Understood, all planes get back to your locations"

All squad leaders checked their groups, Umbra flight was a full strength.

"Wolf lead to all pilots, sound off"

"Lead this is Two I'm still here"

"This is Three I'm here, my bird sufferd some damage but still airborne"

"Four here, at least I think I am"

"Copy that Dax" Silvas chuckeld

"This is Storm One to Wolf lead" the Navy pilot cut in

"Go ahead Storm One"

"I'm missing a plane, have any of you seen it?"

"Whats his call sign?" asked Dax

"Storm Five, he made a last transmission befor you took out that jammer, but we have no responce"

"Copy, This is Wolf lead to all bolts, if you can spare the fuel we have a missing plane, scan the area, his plan may be damaged or he may of ejected"

With some acknowledgment, the planes that could help out spread out scaning the walls and the ground. Many hoped to see a wrecked plane and a pilot standing next to it, or at least a chute. Seven minutes after the request, it was a Phantine that found the missing plane.

"Umbra Six, to all planes...I found Storm Five...or whats left of him"

Down below the Phantine, in a clearing, lay the burnt out shell of a Thunderbolt fighter. Its sand-gray coloured body just about visible. As Umbra Six banked to get a better look, the pilot saw it had impacted the ground nose down, its canopy was just holding on.

"I dont think the pilot made it out, I'm sorry Storm One"

"Understood Umbra Six, thank you for the assistance"

"Alright Umbra flight lets turn for home"

With that the Phantine groupe turned for their home

The Colithan and Navy Tunderbolts had returned to their MAB. The leader of the StormRiders sat in the disperal room still in his flight gear, his helment at his feet. His head in his hands. "I promised them" he said, he didnt look up but he could tell there was somone in the door way. It was Silvas.

"I promised them, I would get them, all of them, through this tour"

"Sometimes its a promis you cant keep"

He finaly looked up, his name tag said Skeller, there where commanders bars on his flight suit.

"What was his name?" Silvas asked

"Ferro" Skeller responded "Flight Officer, Juns Ferro"

"Then we will raise a drink to a fallen brother"

Skeller just looked up at Silvas "A brother?"

"Of course, we will remember a fallen commrade in arms, and let his name trave to Terra so the God-Emperor will remember his name. A bar not far from the base after duty shift"

Skeller sat up right looking at the younger pilot in the door way

"The Imperial Guard have a saying _for every one of us who falls, ten more will take his place_, well on my world we have a better one"

"And whats that?"

"For every one of us who falls, a thousand more will take his place, and its true"

"Who are you?"

"Hans Silvas, Major, Imperial Guard. Commander of the 187th Wing of the Colthina Imperail Air Corps"

"I've heard of the Colthians, fearsom soilders of the Imperium. Said to show no fear"

"Its all true"

Skeller stood up and suluted Slivas "Well then on behalf of the Imperial Navy, I accsepte the invite, and looking forward to flying with you"

Silvas returned the suluted.

The brefing room was dark and cold. Major Silvas felt like he was on trial for something. He sat there in his issued Imperial Guard unform, the silver wings over his left brest pocket. Four Navy gaurds stood at each of the doors, they looked menacing in the darkness. The far door opend and six older men in verious officer uniforms entered, two of them where high ranking Navy officers, one was an Imperial Guard field commander, two of them where Segmentum command officers, and the last one, an older man, simular age to Capitan Mers, Silvas's number two. He was wearing the uniform of the local airforce.

Silvas stood to attention as they entered and waited for them to be seated.

"Record brefing"

"Recording" said a matlic voice of a servator

"State your name and rank for the record"

"Hans Silvas, Major" responded Silvas as he still stood to attention

"Proceed Major" said one of the Navy commanders

"At 10:35 hours today my formation encounterd a flux in our vox and auspex systems, we where then engaged by a formation of Baracuda's and smaller Meko fighters, they where protecting something" he stated

"What was this something Major?" asked the Guard officer

"I will show you" he responded as he activated the large holoporjector in the center of the room, it filled with a grayish-blue light. They saw a large machine with the dome on its back "This is the gun-cam footage from mine and two other Thunderbolts"

"What is that monstroisty?" asked the second Navy officer

"That sir" Silvas replyed "is what we dont know, all we have gathered from the breff but demanding brawl was this craft was jamming all vox communications at normal operational flight, one thounsand meters and above, I was able to call for back up once I was about five hundred meters, near the valley floor"

"What are its defenses?" asked the second Segmentum officer

"Primerly gun ports sir, heavy burst cannons at least four on its flanks and two to its aft"

"Nothing protecting it at the front?" the first Navy commander asked

"No sir, I am asuming judging by the number of escorts anything attacking from the front would be intercepted"

"Humm it would seem this would cuse a serious problem in retaking the land, if these jammers are airborne Operations wont beable to keep track of any planes, weather combat or not" said the first Segmentum officer

"And whats worse" began the Air commander "It can be used to ambush any releaf of transport flights, and we wouldnt even know about it"

"What restrictions did you encounter Major?" asked the Guard commander. Silvas liked him the most, both men where Imperial Guard born and rasied in the field.

"We had local vox comms, but the planes would have to be with in visual range of each other, the closer you got to this thing the more degrated the coms got"

"And auspex?" he added

"Again limited, it gave out faulse readings and scrambled the targeting systems we had to fight the old fashioned way"

"And that was?" asked the first Navy officer

"By ironsights" replyed the second one "Old aviators, before auspex and locking had to use their bore sights and lead targets, am I right Major?"

"Yes sir" Silvas answerd "It was hard but it was effective"

"So how did you kill it? If your auspex and targeting where ineffective" asked the first Navy officer again, the man seemed to be offended that someone non-Navy made a big discovery, and was able to kill it.

Silvas look at the Navy officer "well sir, I used my skill, training and tactical dessgrestion to bring it down, since vox clears up under it, I assumed it would have a blind spot, where its guns and its jammer where not as effective"

The Navy man returned the look "And that was?"

"Its belly, I though of it like a bomber, theres always a blind spot and it's often under it, since I couldnt hit its engines, I aimed for its cockpit section. Cut it with las then crippled it with autos. It flounderd and crashed into the ground"

The Navy commander made no reply, his commrade looked at him "For give the commander, Major, he dosnt like being staired down. It's a Pocerian thing"

"I ment no offence sir" Silvas said in a soft spoken voice, really he did, the Colithans and Pocerians have had a long hatred with each other, the reason has long since been lost.

"Since you where the first one to encounter this new threat and where able to bring one down, what are your recommendations?" said the air commander

"I would recomned to all wings when they enter the area to use visual scanning and hard rounds as it effects vox, auspex and targeting its safe to asume las may be effected too. When engaging this thing to do so from below, normaly you would attack the drive sections, but in this case attack the cockpit it will lose all control and fall under its own wight"

"Agreed, I will pass this to all wings and any and all transport groups, thank you for the information Major Silvas"

"Sir" Silvas replyed

"We shall go an make preporations, end recording" stated the Guard commander

"Recording ended" replyed the servator

"This is off the record Major" he said

"Sir?" he said with a puzzled look

"We need to locate their base of operations, or even better where they are being built, and hit them on the ground" he said as he changed the holoimage to show the world they where on "We have recived scans and reports from the Navy warships in orbit that larger eliments of the enermy are move up to the costal reagon, here. This island we are currently on is effective in preventing the enermy for conquering the planet, with help from orbital bombardment some major areas they are desperate to control are now more exposed" he zoomed in to two large cities on the northen contante "Once these cities are secure and the bases ours again we can launch a counter offensive and hit the enermy at his heart"

"What has this got to do with me?" he asked

"Everything Major" responded the seconed Navy officer "Your squadron will be on the front line, Im sure you have been waiting for this opertunity"

"We have sir"

"Your squad was asked to be here by Segmentum command" said the second Segmentum officer

"We where asked here sir?"

"Yes the best of the best, a uquniec and experianced squadron" said the Air commander

"Sir the Black Wolves will take on any task, we live only to server the almight God-Emperor of Man" replyed Silvas as he stood tall and proud as he said that

"The attack will begin in a two days, once all the parts are in place. Inform you squadron"

"I will sir"

"And Major all of Serfis hope are riding on this counter offensive, failuer is not an option"

"Colthians dont know the meaning of the word failuer, sir, we fight to win"

"Exilent Major, you are dismissed"

Silvas suluted the officers and turned to the door behind him, a Navy guard opend the door and gave him a sulute, Silvas retunred his sulute.

It was a long ride back to the base was a slow one. Silvas sat in the back, he had been offered a ride in a fancy limosien but he opted for a Guard Chimera. The crew gave offered him the commanders seat due to his rank, but he had just wanted to ride in the passenger section. The Chimera belonged to the 91st Pandora Armoured. The two Guardsmen sitting acrose from him where looking at him awe.

Silvas looked up at them from under his cap "Is there something I can help you men with?" he said over the noise of the APC's engine

The first Guardsman sat up and shook his head "no sir, sorry sir"

Silvas leaned in faceing him "You can speak freely here trooper, theres no Commisars around"

The two Guardsmen looked at each other, untill the smaller one on the left spoke "Are you him sir?"

"Who?"

"The one lads down here call _Lone Wolf _?"

Silvas noticed a data-slate between them "Mind if I take a look?" he asked them, the smaller trooper looked at where Silvas's hand was pointing, and relised he had been rumbled.

"Please sir, dont tell our Commisant..he will whip us for having unauthorised litrcher" he said handing the data-slate. Silvas took it and saw a picture of him self and below that a picture of his Tunderbolt in flight, he smiled.

"I see you like the flyboys"

"Oh yes sir, best ones they are. Top class, some day I would love to fly with them"

"If you want it badly enough trooper it can happen, I knew a Guardsman who wanted the same thing, he worked hard and became a top scoring pilot"

The Chimera suddenly stopped "We're at the base sir" the driver said and Silvas got up out of his seat. One of the Guardsmen dropped the borading ramp at the rear, she stopped and gave a sulute to the crew of the Chimera "Happy hunting, sir" one of them said over the idaling engine

"Thanks" he shouted back as he made his way to the main field.

The two Guardsmen looked at the data-slate and seen a signature just simply signed _Lone Wolf. _

As Silvas made his way over the hanger where his squad where stationed, he noticed a lone blood red coloured Thunderbolt sitting on a hard stand, it seemed out of place, where ever other machine was some sort camm patern, this one sat like a becon. Some crews where around it, almost worshiping it. He entered the hanger and saw a tall man standing by his plane. He too seemed to be admiering it.

Silvas walked over to his number two, Verion Mers, who was cleaning his hands with a cloth. Like all of the squad each pilot would help with the fitters making sure they where all airworthy, this was done when the hole squad was on stand down. The other pilots of the Black Wolfs did the same.

"Who's is the red bolt out side?" Silvas asked

"An real Imperial hero, apperntly" replyed Mers as he flicked the cloth other his left shoulder "They call him the Red Baron"

"THE Red Baron?" asked Dax

"Why is he here? and looking at my bird?"

"He came over from another base while you where at the brefing, he wants wanted to speak to you personaly"

"I see" was the responce.

Silvas approched him, he wore a heavy black avator coat from the Imperial Navy, his hair looked a pale blond colour and looked well oiled and combed back. Around his neck was a long white scarf.

"Such an impressive machine" he said with out even turning around, his voice seemed soft yet harsh, very simular to the way the Ferians talk.

"She is" Silvas replyed

"What pattern is she?"

"Colthian"

The pilot finaly turned to face him, Silvas saw his face had a scar on the left side.

"If you forgive me...but who the hell are you, and what gives you the right to be here in my hanger?"

The man snapped to attention clicking his heals "Forgive me, I am Emrie Von Rickten"

Silvas's eyes widened, now he reconised the man and the red Thunderbolt, he was the famous "Red Baron" from the Ertimas secotor. He saw the commanders ensignia on the pilots flight coat, and with instinct he snapped to attention suluting "Sir, Im sorry I didnt reconise you"

Rickten smiled and laughed "Such stance, you may be at ease Mr...Im sorry in all the excitment I dont even know you name"

"Major, sir" Silvas started "Major Silvas, Hans Silvas"

Rickten returned the sulute "You may be at ease, Major" Silvas did stood at ease. He saw the commander run his gloved hand over the wing of his plane

"I have read your file Major" the commander said

"You have sir?"

"Indeed. Some exilent pices of flying, many engagments. The orks on Tarvan. The Eldar, three factions, at Bor-Tease. And the Tau on Armitius"

"I go where the Emperor needs me sir" he said with a bit of a smile

"The Tau there where perticulary bad, the planes where part of their most feared warrior"

"They still went down sir"

"That they did, and you not only took out two of thier aces responsible for the deaths of thousands of Imperials, but you also killed their leader, their Etherial I belive"

"It was a target of opertunity. I didnt know who the dropship was carrying untill after I got back to base" Silvas said in a modest tone

"Quite" replyed Rickten "But still it ended the war, three months sooner"

"Begging the commanders pardon, sir, but why are you here?"

"Ahh yes sorry I forget my self. I am here Major beacuse I have been given command of the North-Eastern section", And I need the best pilots the Imperium has to offer here, and your squadron falls into this"

"Dose this mean?" he asked with near exitment.

"Yes it dose, Major. Your unit will now be on the front lines. That is where you belong"

Silvas had no reply but the look in his eyes was all commander Von Rickten needed "You will be transfered to Marzie MAB, in the northen coast, this is the closest base we have to start the operation" he turned to exit the hanger "I will expect to see you there within fourty-eight hours"

"That you will sir" replyed Silvas as he snapped to attention and gave a sulute to which Rickten gave on in return.

Commader Emrie Von Rickten's blood red Thunderbolt aircraft was now just a return on Foresight MAB auspex screen. By this time Major Silvas had assembled his squad in the hangers dispersal room, the other eleven pilots of the 187th Black Wolves stood befor him, some where still in full flight gear, only just got back from a petrol flight, others where in light wear either mantinaing or exersising in the down time.

"Wolves" he started, he had always called them this. "There is some good news"

"About bloody time" shouted Lt. Permos, he was a recent addtion and flew as Wolf Seven.

Silvas laughed "Thats right Jax. Its been confermed. The Black Wolves are at last being moved up to front line operations" he looked around the faces of the stunned pilots "You have permistion to cheer" They did so.

"Alright settel down" he said over the cheering

"QUITE!" shouted a voice, it was from Verion Mers, he was leaning back agenst the wall holding a cup of caffieen. His voice stopped all the noise

"Thank you Mers" said Silvas, Mers just nodded to him.

"We will be packing up shortly, so make sure you have all we need. Ground crews will fly out on transports that Operations have asigned to us. Pilots will fly escort. Any questions?"

A young pilot lifted up his hand, he was very young, only nineteen and already a career score of thiry-four kills. Silvas pointed to him and the rest of the squad looked in his direction

"Sir" he started "Dose Operations have any idea on what the enermies air power is on the mainland?"

Silvas looked up at him, each of the pilot thought the same thing. They have had control of mainland for several months many cities where occupited by the Tau.

"That is a good question" he began "all we know is there are large ground forces waiting to strike and claim this land. The one we are standing on is the last Imperial land left on this world, there have been a few skirmishes but nothing that indicated a full invation. What command want from us is to hit back at the enermy hard, and deny them air. Once we have that the landing operation will begin. Then we stan on station and cover them. And what ever air power the Tau have, we will turn into flaming wrecks, any other questions? No? Good, now get packed up we leave in two hours"

The pilots all ran out of the disperasl room getting their gear packed and planes ready.

Silvas stood at the doorway, Mers joined him "Command gave us a tall order, do you think we can do it?" he asked. the major looked at the older man still sipping his caffien drink

"Command can go screw them selves for all I care. I'm here to fight for the Emperor not some rich man who dost want to get their hands dirty"

"I will drink to that boss" he said and sipped his hot drink.

They had been airborne for nearly two hours heading east to the large costal forrest that housed the Catachan Rangers. Silvas had been given a report of other fighter wings joining them.

"Well well what sort of rabble do we have here" a voice said on the vox

"Who is this?" Silvas responded

"At your five"

Silvas cranked his head around looking back behind him, and he saw seven two-tone blue coloured bolts, and he knew who it was

"You old salt dog, I though you where splashed back at Theris" he said with a grin

"Oh you know me, just cant keep me down...well for too long"

It was Capitan Vas DelBar, a fellow Colthian, he had joined the Navy after a bloody skermish on Bor-Tease. And he had been given command of his own fighter wing, just to make sure he didnt end up in command of a Navy warship. Delbar had gone through the same flight school as Silvas and the two of them became good friends. The Navy wing he was with was part of the 567th, and was called the Sea Serpants. Delbar was born in a costal city back on Colth he loved the sea and everything about it. Space to him was like a large endless sea, so the Navy was a good choice

"Joining up on the run to Marzie?" he asked

"Sadly no, we are heading to a sea carrier located three hundred kilomiters further out to the east. Looking forward to getting some real sea air in my lungs"

"Understood, good hunting Capitan"

"Aye you too Major" and with that he turned his wing away from the Oreno transporters and their escorts.

Another ninty minuets later they had arrived at their new home, the Marzie Forward Operations Base. Near by was the city of Mar'Zie a large Imperial city looking out over the cost to the main land. In peace times this base used to shuttle goods and passengers to and from the main land. It was ideal beacuse of its location and how many squdrons where stationed here. Silvas looked over more planes had arrived. There was hardly a single civilan plane left, with the exseption of five large six-engined Aervos passenger planes where sitting in their hangers at the far end of the base.

"I thought all local craft where gone" asked Dax as he stepped down from his plane

"There where" replied Mers standing in his black flight suit and flight armour

"Then why are those Aervos planes still sitting here? all the civis have gone south"

Silvas had joined then as he was removing his flight helmet "To answer you question Dax, those planes are going to be modifed for combat"

"As what? large long range bombers?"

"No, to airdrop troops. Being a commander of an IG unit I'm privy to some intel. And I can tell you this, more Guard are on their way, shock troops, drop-troops, rangers you name it, Those planes can carry up to five-hundred passengers and luggage. With some modifcations they will be able to carry up to seven hundred soilders"

Dax whisled at the idea "Anyone we know going in?" he asked as he looked over to Silvas, how had a big grin on his face"

"The 101st Coilthian Airborne regiment, the Screaming Eagles" Silvas told him

"Insane bunch of bastered the lot of them" Mers snorted

"Isnt your eldest a corpral in the 101 Mers?"

"He is, and Im so damn proud of him, its just the company commanders I worry about"

"Oh he will be fine Mers" Dax said patting his back "Besides hes got several good things going for him"

Mers just looked at Dax "Really? name them"

"er..well hes young, he's a Imperial Guardsman, and hes Colthian, the ladies are gonna love him"

"Speaking of ladies, does anyone know where the local whore house is here?" asked Dax as he walked over to some local ground crew.

Dusk had settled over the Kerzin Bay, at the very west of the base, the large runway that the Orenos had used to land streatched out into the bay. Over to the east a group of Thunderbolts where preping for takeoff. He was alone. He had alowed the pilots some R&R to get the layout of the town, and of course the local bars and clubs. He could smell the sea, and over the bay where the costa of the main land, a large continate stretching for thousands of kilomiters around, this continant know to the locals as Bestin, was key to preventing the enermy from total conquest. They may be uswing anit-grav craft but they still need solid ground under them.

This was the fifth time Silvas had fought agenst the Tau, but only the forth time he fought them from the air, it was warmer here, he had taken off his top jacket his arms where scard from his time of fighting in the trenches. His left shoulder itched, it was a healed scar from a Tau pluse weapon, it reminded him of just how mortal he was. He will never forget those who did not return that day. When he told a priest about it on a troop carrier, he was told how we all live in borrowed time given to us by the imortal Emperor. He felt like he was back at school, but now he thinks the Emperor wanted him to fly. He looked up at the pink sky, lifting his cup "I will keep flying and killing for as long as you need me here" he said to the sky. The ready bolts had shot past him as they made their way into the air. Behind him a couple of PDF soilders making their petrol past him, chatting to each other.

It was an unbeliveable sight, he thought, so many had fought hard and died for this world, but soon it was with in their graps. All of this was for the Grater Good. Shis'Vre Vors'Tal'Metis of the Vor'sha sept stepped down from his Hammerhead gunship as its repulser engines died down, its legs taking the full wight in the planets gravity.

He staired down as more Orca drop ships landed and more Firewarriors marched down from their ramps, followed by the large Crisis suites. He removed his helm. His now exposed blue face scard from his years of fighting, one scar across his face was a reminder to him, he had recived it on another world and some fearsom warrior from the Imperial side fought with all of his might.

Behind him sat the airfield of Barracuda fighter bombers, the much larger Grate White heavy bombers. But next to them sat rows and rows of the faster and more agile Mako fighters, these signel seat craft built localy helped the Tau forces push the Imperials back and capture the cities and land.

What he wondered when he saw the battle weire humans, was why they would fight agenst the Grater Good, with some time and education they can be helpful members of socity.

Once the Etherial returned to the surface they will start making plans for the final attack. Nothing can stand befor the Grater Good for too long. He looked up at the pink sky "soon" he said to him self "the grate tide will turn"

Early morning came over the base, most of the Black Wolves where nursing bad hangovers, Dax had gone off with two very willing ladies during their visti to the city and only just arrived back at barracks

He along with Silvas, Mers, Jax and the youngest pilot called Reces where not hung over.

Dax had sucseeded in slipping pasted the sentries but was caught by Mers and Silvas

"Good night?" Silvas asked him

"Good one boss"

"Have fun?" asked Mers in his usual tone

"Oh yes, you know you should try it some time" he said with a smile on his face, Mers just snorted and looked to Silvas

"Not too hung over to fly?" Silvas asked him

"No sir, a little sore from last night but I didnt have a drop"

"Good the gear up, costal petrol, we got early slot"

"Yes sir" he said as he when to the crew lockers.

As he went in Reces and Jax where already in theirs waiting for the call

"Didnt see you last night at the club Jax" he said as he put on his flight suite

"Not really my thing" said Jax as he played with this helmet like a child being told off

"What about you Rai" he asked the younger pilot "Alot of very pretty girls here"

Rai Reces looked up at him, he was typical for a teenager on Colth, bright eyes, smooth skin and his hair cut short into a buzzcut "Had a date" he said softly

"Oh yeah" said Dax as he tried to put on his flight armour one handed "With who?"

"A local lass, she works for the Navy in Ops"

"Oh well I got-" he was suddenly interupted as Silvas pushed open the door

"We can discuse Dax's encounter with the locals later, right now theres a war on, or did you forget last night Dax?"

"No sir" he said.

"Alright get to your planes"

The other two pilots got up and exited the locker room, Dax soon ran behind them grabbing his helmet.

Silvas turned to Mers, who stood there wearing his flight pants and a vest.

"Make sure the others know the true horrors of drinking too much"

"I will, I can assure you they wouldn't want to look at another bar"

Silvas grinned to him, he turned to exit the locker room.

In the field he found the waiting pilots and ground crews. He lifted his hand and spun two fingers around indicating to start up. Each pilot climbed into their planes the crews made sure they where all strapped in the noice of turbofans starting up was almost refreshing. Silvas found his plane and began to climb up the yellow ladder, he slipped into the cockpit. His cheif fitter, a man he knew as Brean knew Thunderbolts inside and out, he used to fly them and was even Silvas's instructor untill he was wonded after a sortie bad enough he couldnt fly anymore, but Silvas saw how much loving care he attended to each plane and pilot. He found him a place and as always still barking orders.

Once the canpoy of his plane was slide over the noise outside was muffled, he made his preflight checks "Check Check" he said in the vox mic "All planes check in"

"Wolf Four checking in" responded Jax

"Wolf Six Four-A sir" Rai was always Four-A, must be his youth

"Wolf Seven ready" Dax said

At a large Vox system in the hanger Mers went over picking up a head set and mic "Operations, this is Mers of the Black Wolves"

"This is Operations, go ahead"

"Flight of four repeat, four planes ready, transfering to your vox"

"Understood, Opertations to Wolf Leader do you copy?"

"Ops, Wolf lead here loud and clear"

"You are clear for take off, make bearing two-one-five east at three thousand"

"Rodger Ops, Black Wolves airborne, Leader to all planes, set to vertical flight"

The four planes engine tone incresed, their vector ducts turned poiting to the ground, the air under them distorted by the heat wash, and the planes lifted up off thier hardstands. The planes then turned to face the east "Set to horizontal" Silvas ordered them, and each plane made a slow pass over the air field, banking softly in the direction the operations had gave them. They passed eastern edge of the feild , then pulls up sharply climbing to three throusand meters. They made another bank five minuets later turning to the bay.

"Wolf leader here, now we are up Im going to give you the real reason we are here"

"Lead this is Seven, I thought this was a standered petrol run"

"Thats what we are doing on paper, but unofficaly its a close recon flight"

"What are we looking for?" asked Rai

"There have been a larger number of Tau dropships landing in the last thirty-six hours on the mainland coast. Command are getting nervous"

"Theres a surprsise" said Dax "If the enermy sneezes in their direction they call for an exterminatus"

"True Dax, but the sudden incresed activity is making them even more nervous. They fear the enermy could be gearing up for a full invation of the Barzine continant"

"So what are they wating for then?"

"As long as we have airpower we can shoot down their dropships and transports, they wont risk it, they want to draw us in for a ground fight"

"Well lets make sure we keep the air" said Jax

"Thats why they wanted the best, in case the Tau launch every plane they have at us"

"Bingo, now come about on three-two-six and drop to the deck"

All planes turned again then suddenly dropped to the ground, keeping low as possible so not to spike any of the enermies auspex. They saw the large gray rock clifs of the mainland cost being to fill their view, they could also make out large towers the Tau had build, makeings of a base or a city? either way they where targets.

"Lead this is Four, I have a return, six bandits at two thousand"

"Copy Four, have they seen us?"

"Not sure they dont look like they are in attack formation could just be a standered petrol"

"I dont like it, keep an eye on them, everyone make sure you gun cams work. We are here for recon only, and mark out any big or important targets, we will let the Maruders deal with them. Once you have made your straffing run full burn back to base"

"What if we are engaged?" asked Dax

"Take out those you can, dont get your self in a dogfight, even if you damage your pursuer they will brake off. Anyone else who can engage and keep your wingmans tail clear do so but get back to base"

"Copy leader"

"Understood"

"This should be a walk in the park"

"All planes vox silence" he gave as his last order, the planes where nearing the cliffs soon someone will notice them. Silvas pulled up hard first swooping over the cliff face, knocking over some Tau with his jetwash, turned the rudder hard to the right to avoid a large tower, He lined up on the large bombers, and flew right over them as low as he dared, then he pulled up high avoiding a Tau Serpent anit-air battery. Behind him the other Wolves had made their runs, more Serpent guns opened up on them. Wolf Seven took some tail and wing damage as Jax mistakenly went over a vehical yard that happen to have many Serpernts waiting, they each may a wide turn trying to avoid any ground fire. The Tau where now fireing everything they had at them

"Burn for home NOW!" Silvas shouted into the vox as the four planes made their way back to the coast.

"Lead this is Four, you remember those contacts?"

"What is it now Dax?"

"They on us now"

The six Mako fighter dived to the four Imperial fighters, their forward burst cannons already lit. Sitting pressed hard agenst his seat Vos-Cal-Ves of the Vor'Sha Air Cast, a Tau ace, at the front "Swarm them to the ground" he said, he reviced acknowledgments from his wingmen. He came down on the lead fighter an alien symbol flashed on the heads up display. He pressed the fire control with his long finger.

Lock tone chimed in Silvas plane. He looked up seeing those six fighters diving at him, blue coloured tracers shot past

"BANDITS TEN O'CLOCK HIGH EVADE" he screamed the formation broke as did the six fighters. The lead one, green in colour with red markings and white stripes on its tips stayed with him.

One of the Makos looped around and put a few shots into Wolf Six's flank, but Rai wasnt about to end up as another tally, he barrle rolled in and dived under his peruser flying close to the ground and over the Orca dropships. Relcuten to risk hitting the Firewarriors the Mako pulled up, just as Rai wanted. He slammed on his speed brakes and hanked hard on the stick. He got in tight behind the Tau, and got a lock tone. Depressing the fire studd a shot of las streamed out slamming into the crafts engines. One of them flamed out then the other one, the fighter turned sharply diving to the ground. It crashed into a Orca coverting it into a blue coloured fire.

"Scratch one" Rai said over the vox

"Confermed kid, Boss you need help?" Dax said as he and Jax had shaken their persuers

"Negitve, get home now! dont worry about me"

"But sir.."

"Thats an order! Full Burn NOW" Silvas scremed into his mask and the three Thunderbolts turned and lit their engines.

Cal'Vas kept the Imperial fighter in his sights. Courious, the other three where not coming to their leaders aid, but are now in retreat. These humans are strange, but no matter. This is for the Grater Good, and this ends now.

Silvas tried to vift left and right, but the bat was still on him. He turned hard to the left as he went past another tower, he then cranks his plane around almost on the spot and ziped between the leader and one of his wingmen

Cal'Vas was amazed of how the Imperial was able to out manuver them, he banked around and followd the fighter his lock returned.

Silvas went over the cliffs, two Serpent gunships where tracking as he went over, but befor they could fire the two Mako fighters went over also. The gunners didnt want to risk hitting their own.

Dropping to the sea he wanted the two fighters to stay with him the warining tone sounded. The two Mako's where tight on him still, but Silvas knew he had the upper hand, they didnt have their anit-air this time.

Leading the Imperial craft in his gun sights, Cal'Vas wondered why he hadnt taken the kill. This Imperial wasnt flying just to survive, it was as if...his eyes widedn under his flight mask.

Silvas slammed on his speed brakes dropping behind the Tau, he then hit the burners, toggled his guns to auto and got a lock tone, he fired his auto cannons. The hard rounds tore through the plating of the Tau craft, its port enginr cought fire as it nose dipped and slammed into the sea disintergrating on impact. Silvas put _Lone Wolf _after the leader, lock tone he fired but the pilot had broke fre, but not befor its stabord engine and wing where damaged. The wounded Mako turned and gunned for its life back to the cliffs. Silvas didnt presue he pulled his plane up and went a full burn back home.

Cal'Vas exited his damaged fighter, he looked over to its rear. He ran his long fingerd hand over the hull as if calming his wonded steed. A Firewarrior approched him, the warrior carried his helm under one arm and his weapon in his other hand. Cal'Vas knew how those of the Fire cast walked, but this one walked with purpos.

He turned and looked down. The Firewarrior looked up.

His fans powered down, major Silvas just sat in his cockpit his head resting back agenst the seat. Jax, Dakker and Rai had all landed safly just thrity minuest befor. Mers climbed up and tapped on the canopy glass. He just looked over to him, the canopy slid forward "You ok sir?" Mers asked, Silvas just nodded.

It was nearly an hour after they got back they where showered and cleaned up. And now sitting in the waiting room of the Air Comandans office, each one had to fill out a incident report. A young man in the uniform "Major Hans Silvas" he said.

The major stood up carying his data-slate and the holo-disk, he entered the office.

The Air Commandant sat behind a large wooden desk. Silvas stood to attention and suluted

"Take a seat major" he said

"I prefer to stand sir"

"Operations informs me that you and your pilots engaged, your orders where for a reconnisance flight" the commandats tone getting more angry he stood up behind the desk leaning forward, as if to try an intimdate the major "What do you have to say about that?"

"First of all, sit down and shut up. Second of all Ops where not up there, nor where you…sir. Someone was bound to notice the engine noise. And lastly you can't win a war WITHOUT getting your hands dirty, what you are forgetting is we splashed two of their fighters which one of them crashed into a dropship, killing a number of their ground forces" Silvas said standing his ground

"YOU forget your place!" the commandant shouted back

"No sir YOU forget your place, my wing and I are not here for you"

"Who are you here for then?"

"You have his portrait on your wall, I would suggest you look at it" Silvas said pointing to the large portrait of the God-Emperor

The commandant turned and saw, to him, the disappointment the Emperor was showing, he then sat back down, and for the first time in his long career someone brought him back down to earth

"You will have a full report as well as our gun cam footage of what we found. Is there anything else?" Silvas asked

"N-no major, you are dismissed"

Silvas saluted, turned and marched out the office door, as he exited the room he grinned. Chalk up another kill, he though, having just stung the commandants ego.

Cal'Vas and Tal'Matis both looked at the destroyed Orca, as the members of the Earth cast helped remove the dead Firewarriors, the sun was now high in the sky.

"The Etherials are not going to like this" said Tal'Matis shaking his head "Too many of my kin fell on this world"

"But it was all for the Grater Good" said a voice behind them. They both turned and saw their commander Kai'se. He was walking to them his helm under his arm.

"Commander" said Tal'Matis turrning suddenly "I..we...didnt see you-"

Kai'se put his hand up stopping the Shas'Vre "It is alright Tal'Matis" he said his voice as soft as it was commanding "We all feel this sting, many of our kin newly arrived will never get the chance to fight, but they all died for the Grater Good, remember that"

"I will commander, and may Mont'Ka guide your blade"

"And may he guide yours too Shas'Vre" Kai'se said as headed over to a waiting Devilfish transport.

A runner had came up the two of them, he was a young Firewarrior one of the new arrivles.

"A message from flight command" he said

"Go on Shas'La" said Tal'Matis

"The Etherisals Orca is on final approch, the wind changed and they will enter near the Imperials, the crew are requesting escort"

"Recived, tell flight command my wing will be ready"

"Understoond" responded the young Shas'la as he ran back to replay the message.

Tal'Matis looked at the taller Tau "Good hunting"

"And to you" Cal'Vas responded.

Klaxons sounded. Pilots and crew ran out to the waiting planes. Turbofans kicked into life. Mers came running back with a print out

"What's the order?" asked Silvas as he was snapping the straps of his flight armour into place

"Snap call, Interception, three large formations"

"How far?"

Mers showed him the print out, it said they were only sixty-two kilometres from the front line "We getting back up?"

"Yes, 225th Navy wing and the Serpents will be joining us, full wings"

Silvas ran out other planes where powering up. He climbed into his cockpit and tuned on to the frequency on the vox

"Check check, all planes report"

"Wolf Two ready" Mers

"Wolf Three here" Dakker was always

"Wolf Four ready and willing" Vorlis

"Wolf Five here" Ramos, always eager to fight

"Wolf Six Four-A" Rai

"Wolf Seven ready" Jax

"Wolf Eight standby by" LesTre, new addition but he was eager too

"Wolf Nine Watin" Termos another new addition

"Wolf Ten here" Vol La-Cuse

"Wolf Eleven I'm ready" Delmat.

"Copy all, Wolf Twelve status"

Wolf Twelve sat in the middle of the third row of hardstands, the engines where misfiring

"AHH Dammit" Vaxter said, he was assigned to the squadron a week after the Wolves had arrived.

"Twelve, status?"

"Engines won't start...I'm getting red all over the board" he said there was much frustration in his voice

"Understood, shut down. Operations this is Wolf leader"

"Go ahead Wolf lead"

"Mark Wolf flight as eleven, repeat, eleven strong, one plane won't start up"

"Copy all, Wolf flight you are clear"

The eleven Thunderbolts lifted up from their hardstands, Vaxter remined in his for saftey. The other bolts shoot up into the air

"Operations this is Wolf Twelve, made safe"

"Copy that"

Vaxter banged his head back agenst his seat, a change to get some real kills and improve his score stolen from him. Since he was assinged to the Black Wolves his tally was only sitting at two, and perhaps at least six possilbles. To the others he was too new, and they just didnt trust him yet.

What was stinging Vaxter more was Rai, three years younger than him and already got a exelent score.

The chief fitter tapped on the glass, and made the notion to open the canopy. Vaxter did so

"Everything ok sir?" he asked

"No it damn well isn't...just get it airworthy" he replyed climbing down from his bird

"We will try get her going again" the chife said as he opend up the covers to the engins

"Dont just bloody try, get it done. I should be up there..."

"Auspex return, thirty plus and one large" said Dax as he was flying point head of two V-shaped formations of five aircraft. Normally they would have one at the front and one higher up acting as a scout, but since they where a plane down this was the best they could do.

"Copy Four. Wolf Two-One leader to Wolf Two-Two"

"Two-Two leader recicving" responded Mers

"My flight will draw some of the smaller ones away, your flight deals with the big ones"

"Two-One lead, this is Hunter" said Dax over the vox

"Go ahead Hunter"

"Why are we the ones out here doing this run, I though we had two other wings with us"

"Mers do you want to remind him?" Silvas voxed to Mers

"Of course, our planes are Hunters, Dax, we "hunt" we have the fuel and the armour, the others dont, they will hang back and take out anything getting too close the base that dosnt have an Imperial emblam on it"

"Thanks for the reminder...I think" he replyed

"You will learn one day Dax" laughed Rai, part of Two-One flight.

"This is Hunter, I have visual"

"Copy Hunter what do you see?"

"Makos and Barracudas, two flights of each, in escort of an Orca"

"Copy, Hunter relay info back to Operations, Rest of us Stoop and Sting"

The two formations shoot right past Dax's plane, his task as hunter was to spot the enermy and relay intell to operations, and to hit anything that looked important to the enermy. As soon as he was done he lit his burners and keeped back looking for anything running or trying to loop around and hit the formation. Dispite Dakker's imaturity at times, he was still a profetional pilot with a tally of forty-two kills, it took some time but Silvas molded him into a top pilot and given the important tasks.

"All planes, Brake!" said Silvas over the vox and the disiplined formations broke apart and gunned for the enermy formation. Wolf Four and Six where charging at the first formation of Baracuda fighter-bombers, blue streaks of las penitrated the hulls. The lead Baracuda was struck in the midsection. The craft dipped and then ignalited in a blueish fireball, score another one for Rai who was whooping over the vox as he pulled out to avoid the fire.

Four's las fire went through the cockpit section and the Baracuda fell to the sea turning over and over, the front section tearing away.

As Silvas flight entered they had engaged the lead groupe of Mako fighters, he had orded them to use their autoguns. One of the Tau fighters fell insently a kill for Jax, another was wonded but stayed in the air. The remeing Mako fighers broke from their escort to engage the hostiles, the wonded one remiand with the Orca, untill it was later stug, Wolf Five, acting as the hunter, joined the fray, he made a strafing run over the Orca, his rounds denting and deforming its hull plating. The two gun turrets on the top opened up on him. Standing the plane on its wing tip he passed each one with no damage.

Mers began firing at a braking Baracuda, his las round damaged a wing but the craft turned harder trying to avoid his fire. He got a lock tone, but also a warning tone as blue burst shot past his plane, damaging its port engin housing and wing, he had lost his lock

"Someone get the thing off me!" he cried out trying to brake the lock

"Two, Six, on three brake hard left" said Rai as he came in gunning for the Tau fighter

"Copy Six, just get it off me"

"Three, two, one, BRAKE LEFT! Rai shouted. Wolf Two banked hard to the left, the Mako followed the oldest mistake. Lock tone "bye-bye" he said as he depresed the gun stud. The airframe shudderd as the quad cannons spat fire at the enermy fighter. The hard round hammered the small crafts hull, planting and a wing tore off. It turned over then fell tail first into the sea.

"Thanks Six" Mers said as he saw his prusuer fall to its death

"No probs Two" Rai replyed as he banked to look for another kill.

The humans are devistaing the escorts, thought Cal'Vas as his wing burned full to intercepted the Imperials and protect the Orca. As it was carrying their Etherial, no matter how many of his brothers should fall, the Etherial must be proteced. They where Air cast warriors, and this sky belonged to them. The Mako fighters came up on the air brawl befor them.

"Wolf Leader to Operations" Silvas said as he was tuneing to avoid his preusier, a Baracuda.

"Operation here, go ahead Wolf leader"

"Squad of six more hostiles approching request assistance" he said as he twised and then inverted diving to the large transporter. The Baracuda broke off an climed hard. This gave him a opertunity , he lined up the aft engine and fired an auto burst. The rounds dented and mangled the plating around the engin. A touch of vift he lined up another shot, another burst this time into its intake, the engine coughed and belching smoke and fire

"Wolf Leader to all planes, aim for the transports engines bring it down" he said, he heard numrous responces.

He was now lineing up another shot using the smoke as a guid line. Warning tone he rolled hard to port as shots from six Makos blazing down on him went past, but suddenly splitting as they neared the Orca.

"Wolf flight there is something very important to them on that transport they want to protect, keep as close to it as you can they wont risk hitting it"

he recived response from all planes, exepted Wolf Eight

"Wolf Eight respond"

"Im here, couldnt shake that damn Mako, I copy"

Silvas looked out and could see brown smoke pouring from under the Tunderbolt

"Status Eight?"

"Engine two is flaring, I have damage but I'm still flyable, weapons still on line I can fight"

"Negative Eight, RTB now, I would rather have a plane down then a pilot"

"Copy Lead, Ops this is Wolf Eight I am RTB" LesTre said as he turned from the fight.

Cal'Vas saw one of the human craft escape "Intersting" he said to himself "These humans do know about self preservation. Ignore the fleeing craft we must protect the Etherial, for the Grater Good" he said to his wing, as they turned into an attack dive.

"Here they come" shouted Rai as he saw the Mekos dive in perfecte sinc

"I need four, take them out"

Wolf, Two, Four, Six and Three pulled up to meet the banits head on their noses lit up. Rounds hit the diving Tau planes who where alos fireing their underslung burst cannons at the Imperials. Wolf Four suffered engin damage as the rounds shreaded his starborad fan, but one of the Makos he was gunning suddenly stopped fireing and fell to the water below.

Ahh Shit!.., Wolf Four disengaing" said Vorlis as he turned to avoid the free falling fighter. He too was spewing out black smoke.

Two more Mako fighters fell from the interseption, Two and Six scoring Three damaged one of the fighters on its pass. The three planes turned and chased the reming Makos their noses lit up again, Three got his kill again but Six took out the one he had wounded. Mers was chasing the leader, who was twisting and turning, Six and Three joined in the pursute.

Silvas got a warning tone, he looked down at his fuel gage "Check fuel" he orders

"All reming bolts gave their responses, Two, Three and Six did so when they could.

"Lead this is Seven"

"Go Seven"

"More contacts coming in three-three-zero from the west"

"Wolf leader this is Serpent Lead" a voice cut in

"Copy you Serpent Lead"

"Your tanks are about empty, leave them to us"

"Copy Serpent Leader they are all yours, Wolf flight turn for home"

The two-tone blue Thunderbolts of the Sea Serpents shot past them in a blur shooting las shots into the remaing Tau planes, a few fell to the sea in flames.

The Black Wolves had returned to base. Vorlis returened shotly after flying on just one engine. He had to land on one of the carriers in the bay. Their mechanics did a rush patch job and gave him enough fule to get back to base.

Bernse, the Wolves chife fitter was checking each plane had made it back, all did but one was still missing.

Silvas stepped down from his bird taking off his helmet.

"Has no one heard from LesTre yet?" he asked the fitters. They all shook their heads

"Maybe he landed on another carrier" said Dax

Mers shook his head "The only one close enough is where Vorlis landed, you didnt see him did you?"

"Nope didnt pass by me" said Vorlis as he was shaking his head

One of the fitters ran over to Bernse whispered something into his ear "Thanks" he said to the fitter, he turned to the rest of the pilots

"We just got a confermation, two planes from the Serpents spotted a fire on the attol, and a Navy Valkier was dispatced for search and rescue. Confermation of aircraft serial number Zero-Seven-Three"

"That's LesTre's plane, did they find him? did he eject?" asked Rai

Bernse shook his head "The Valkeri is still surching the area, but given the air battle you and the Serpents where in Command have put the downed pilot to a lower priorty, I'm sorry sirs"

Silvas looked at the saddend faces of the rest of the men, including Pilot Officer Rai's, he had know LesTre since flight school, and even helped to get him past some of the hardest tests. He had often said Rai was like the little brother I've never had. Dax and Delmont patted Rai on the back trying to comfert him. Silvas took Mers to one side "If possilbe I want a petrol I refuse to leave a pilot down"

"I will try"

"I will take Rai off active flight for a day or two, give him some time"

"He's one of our top pilots"

"Yeah but hes still a kid, it hits them harder" he took a look at Mers "Oh I forgot"

"Forgot what?"

"I forgot you where not born Mers, you where built"

Mers snorted, trying not to laugh. It was away to lighten the mood.

Dax and the rest of the squad where comferting Rai "Hey they only found his plane" Dax said

"Yeah, he could of ejected and landed out in the sea, the winds are bad around there" said Delmont

Rai looked up at them, smiled "Thanks guys" he said

They all cheered knowing they have accomplished something.

The carrier in the bay had sent three flights of Valkiers to look for the downed pilot. Capitan Vas Delbar stood on the flight deck looking out to the violate coloured sea. He watched as another Valkier returned, he turned to the young Navy Lt. standing next to him "Any news" he asked

"No sir, even along the flight path theres no sign of a becon or a chute"

Delbar siped his hot caffien drink "I want some men to check that wreckage at day brake, it bad enough there is a man missing"

"I will see what I can do sir, command has said this is low priorty"

Dawn the next day. Since the Wolves had returned mid afternoon the day befor, there had been a few more skirmashes over the bay, and some twenty Tau had been splashed. Silvas had launched a group up and returned with in an hour, some planes where still suffering damage from their last brawl. Their planes where not going to be ready so Opertaions but the Wolves on bomber intercept. Silvas sat in the dispersal office looking through his collection of data-slates.

Mers stood leaning agenst the door frame sturring his cup of caffine "Early rise?" he asked

"Never went to sleep" Silvas replyed "Ive been wondering what it was about that Orca"

"The one those Tau where trying to protect"

"Yeah, I was wondering where I had seen it befor, pertiualry this symbal on its hull" he said showing Mers the data-slate with a still of his gun-cam

"They are differnt then the Tau we have fought befor, I think I remember seeing it befor, when I was a ground pounder"

Mers studies the data-slate "I too have seen it, they are fearsome"

"If they are who I think they are, then we are in for a fight"

"I should pass this to Operations. The other units need to know"

"I shall hold the fort untill you return sir"

"Thank you Mers, I can always reliy on you"

Silvas gathered up the relivent data-slates and headed out to the Operations station on the far side of the filed. As he did, another group of Thunderbolts, dark gray paint-schem, took off for a morning petrol.

At the doors of Operations two PDF troopers where checking IDs, they snapped to attention when they saw Silvas approch and opend the door for him, to the dismay and anger of a few of the others who where wating in line.

Around him in the large hall of what could of been mistaken for a cathedral, in fact it was, well once in peace time. But now it was changed into a military station, he followd the blue coloured tape leading him to Intlligance section. He walked down the corridor his boots echoing agenst the walls. Along them where portaits and holo-liths of commanders and aces from years past. Silvas looked at one it was of a gerneral from the Imperial Gaurd. The man wore his dress uniform and showing his chest full of medals, the man looked proud "I just wonder how much Guardsman blood is on your hands you smug bastard" he said to himself. The portaite next to it Silvas reconised immdently, it was of Field General Koras Verman, commander of the 5th Colthina Regiment, the Fearsome Fives. His portrite stood out more, he sitting in his field combat uniform in the combat gray of the Colthian homeworld while holding a las rifle, setting it in his lap like a faithful pet, this man didnt look smug he seemed to be refliecting over the loss of men under him, "I understand sir, it is never easy" he gave the painting a sulute, turned and continued down the corridor.

Out side the hanger where the Black Wolves planes where the pilots and crews worked on getting them combat ready, with the exesption of Rai, Dax, Delmat and Ramos who where sitting in their flight gear waiting for a snap call. Dax and Rai where discusing dog-fight tachtics, Ramos was reading an old Colithan novle his mother gave him befor he left home, Delmat seemed to be sitting in the cornor just stairing at Rai and Dax.

A small four-wheeled drive vehical approched the Wolves hanger, the vehicle had the paint-scheam of the local PDF, it was driven by a man in the uniform of the Imperial Navy and had a passenger next to him. As they approched the hanger Mers had stepped out into the high noon sun sipping some water from a flask. The vehicle stopped and the Navy man opened the door and jumped down.

"Is this the hanger of the IS7th?" he asked Mers

"Excuse me?" he replyed

The Navy man took out a paper waffer and studied it

"I think you might have the wrong place son" Mers said putting the top of the flask back on

"Erm, no no I have it right, IS7, thats what it says here" the Navy boy said handing Mers the waffer

Mers took it, and looked at it. It seemed to of been written by a very young child. But the longer Mers looked at it, it became clearer

"That's 187, whoever wrote this did so in a rush, but yes this is the hanger of the 187th"

"Are you missing a pilot, whose Thunderbolt crashed in the bay's atoll?"

Mers sighed "Yes, a Lt. Fern LesTre"

The Navy lad looked back at his vehicle and waved to the passenger. The other door opened, and another man in a Navy uniform stepped down. Mers looked up and his eyes went wide as soon as he saw him.

"Did you miss me Mers?" said LesTre smiling

"More then you realise, what the hell happened to you? And why are you in that navy uniform?"

"I will explain all inside, where the boss?"

"Gone over to Inteligence"

"I see, well thank you driver"

"No problem sir" said the Navy man giving a sulute.

LesTre returned the sulute and walked over to Mers "Good kid, wants to fly"

Silvas waited in the Inteligence office holding his folder in his lap like a nervous child seeing the headmaster. A Navy deskclerk sat behind a large desk with some smerk on his face. He was looking at Silvas, he didnt look back. The large office door opend "You may enter now" said the clerk. Silvas got up and walked into the door.

"So Las. what happend to you?" asked Dax, as the pilots and the fitters gathered around him.

"Well my bolt just gave up, the engined stalled and I could get the lift to clear the cliffs, so I turned to the east, gliding. I had to eject when I was past the spiked rocks, the bay currents just took me further and I just washed up on the beach by Serfin"

"Serfin? That's over six hundred kilometres!" said Jax

"Why didnt they call us to say you where there?" asked Rai

"Standerd Op" started Mers "If the ground pounders find a pilot, they wait to see if he pulls through, if he dose they send him back"

"Yeah, I just woke up early this morning after my long swim, they had no planes going this way so that Navy lad brought me back here in that borrowed SRAV"

The crews nodded in agreement

"Are you sure about this Major?" asked the senior Naval officer

"I am sir" Silvas responded

"What was your previous experiance with them?"

"As a Guardsman on the ground, they are far more fersome then any other Tau we have encountered"

"And in the air?"

"About the same, perhaps even more so. They where desprate to protect that Orca. I am not sure, but it had a more distintive marking on its hull"

"How do you mean" said another Navy officer, this man looked more machined then human "They are part of the enermy and will be destroyed so"

"If you look at the markings on the fighters, here and here, they are not as bold as the marking on the transporter, here" Silvas pointed to the stills from each of the Wolves gun cams "One of my pilots did a straffing run over its top and pick up this, here" shows them a more distingive symbol "Whatever or whoever that Orca was carrying, those Tau would die to protect it"

"A weakness in their armour?" asked the first man

"Yes sir, it only took them six months to conquer the entire planet, this land is all thats left. They made the mistake of setting their primary base near our forward strike base, we can cause them as serious hurt and retake the mainland"

"Can your wing ensure our Marauders can hit there targets major?"

Silvas stood up, took a deep breath "No sir" he stated

"Why can you not ensure this Major?" the machine officer hissed

"Because sirs, this is war, and there will be loses. And besides I would not sacrifse my men needlessly to protect"

The machine mans vents hissed

"Easy there Commander, the Major is just speaking the truth"

"And I believe with this new aircraft they have, it may be more difficult then you relise"

"Well then Major, I will get Lightings to fly recon flights to locate these things on the ground, and the Marauders will destroy them"

"And what of the fighter wings?" Silvas asked

"You do what you are good at major, kill the enermy fighters"

"So what do you think sir?" asked Bernse standing next to LesTre

"Honestly?" he asked

"Yes sir"

"You have out done yourself, where did you find her?"

"Came in as an old junker from another Colthian wing, suffered some damage when the wing was evacuating to here"

"What kind of damage?"

"Really just some minor transportation damage on the run here nothing we cant handle"

"So really why have you brought me here to see this?" LesTre asked now turning to the chief fitter

"The other Colthian wing, they where hunters too"

LesTre walked up to the Tunderbolt, dispite a few dents and a cover missing she was in very good shape. He saw the crest of the Colthian forces, the double head egale holding a shiled in its talons. This bolt was painted in a gray and white tone of the 127th Intercepter wing. He climbed up to the cockpit, under the canopy a name was stenceld. It said _Lt. Gorse. T. _he looked back down to Bernse.

"Any idea what happend to him?"

"Dead, sir" he replied "killed when an evac transport was hit, damn shame, his bolt got out, but he didn't. I had to pull a few strings and use up nearly a life's time worth of favours to just get her here"

LesTre just nodded, he noticed the planes name it said _Reaper _

"We can repaint her in the wings colours and change the name"

LesTre shook his head "In honour of a fellow Colthian fallen in battle, I will keep the name"

"Yes sir"

LesTre climbed down from the Tunderbolt "You and your men do grate work" he said patting the chifs shoulder.

Klaksons sounded, Mers ran over to the vox system. Dax was already there "Yes sir understood, Show Wolves as active" said Dax as he took off his head set.

"Whats the situation Dax?"

"Bomber formation, twenty plus on apporch to the costal bases, guess we are first on the hit list"

"You, Rai, Ramos and Vertex get airborne" Said Mers as he took the vox reciver "Operations Wolf hanger, show Wolves Three, Five, Six and Twelve interceting. Wolves Two, Four, Seven and Nine are prepairing now"

"Understood" replyed Operations

"Dax your in charge of the flight untill I get up there"

"Copy Mers, lets go guys" he replied running to his bird. Once in all pilots where ready to go

"Check check, formation check in" he said over the vox, calm and presisce

"Wolf Five ready"

"Three this is Six Four-A"

"Twelve ready"

"Copy, all planes with me"

The four bolts lifted up from their hardstands and ignited their burners to meet the bomber pack.

"Take 'em down" ordered Dax as he led the formation up under the bomber pack. The big Tiger Shark bombers began firing at them "Watch for escorts" said Rai

The Thunderbolts cam up under the Tau bombers their noses lit up, three bombers fell immediately as their airframes where torn by the hard rounds. They came up between the pack. Vertex cursing his luck for not hitting one.

"Twelve, you ok?"

"Four-A, I just missed it"

"Your angle was a little off, you will get them on the next pass"

The guns the top started to track and fire at the Imperial planes

"Three, Six, hard return incoming escorts!"

"All Planes BRAKE!"

The four bolts split their formation looping around the bombers, the escorts where the smaller Mako fighters, their burst cannons blazing. They broke the formation and gunned after the four planes. One came up behind Delmont's. He was shifting from side to side not being able to shake the preuser. Rai had one tight on him too, but he vifted around to the left and shoot past one of the bombers, the Mako broke off not wanting to risk hitting it. With his tail clear he dived down to help Delmont.

"Del brake, I got him"

"I can't, he's all over me like a rash!"

Rai fired a short burst hoping to distract the Mako, but it stayed tight. Rai twisted and looped around following them from below, he had to time it right. Hitting his burners and yanking hard on the stick lifting his plane's nose to a vertical position, he made the grip position as the g-forces pushed him back into his seat. He shot up between Delmont and the Mako, kicking his rudder around. Because of the G he had swtiched his weapons to Las. His plane fliped over, and he came in ontop of the Mako, leading it in his gunsights. Fireing a long burst of las, the twin blue streaks struck the fighter and Rai dropped his plane down using the las fire like a cutting torch.

The Mako continued for a short time then fell into pieces."Tail clear Del" he said as he banked to go for another target

Delmont was raging now, someone two years his junior has done better than him. He saw a Mako charge head on to him. Lined up and depressed the gun stud, the four cannons lit up. The hard round tore into the fighter's fragile hull, it tilted to the side and fell to the ground.

"Wooo Yeah, That's three!" he said

"Good kill Twelve, see what you can do with the bombers" It was Mers with Vorlis, Jax and Coros, each of them gunning after the fighters their guns blazing, both Jax and Coros scored on their run, Mers hurt an turned Mako but stung it on the return. Vorlis hit another Mako which crashed into one of the bomber.

The eight Thunderbolts swarmed over the Tau Bombers, who where now nearing the base.

Silvas had heard the commotion from Operations and the air-raid sirens. He ran outside.

"What are you doing man, we must get to the shelter"

"I'm doing my job, my bolt is still on the ground" he shouted back running.

The Hydra flack guns firing. A Chimera nearly knocked him over, the hatch opened "Major is that you?" it was the same crew who dropped him at the base before.

"Yeah it is, where are you going?"

"Over to the commander's mess, orders evac the Admistrum"

"I'm countering those orders, get me to my hanger and evac base personnel to the shelter"

"Sir wont you get into trouble?"

"Leave that to me, just get going"

"Yes Sir" he shouted as the driver revved the APCs engine. They raced to the hanger Silvas riding on the dozer blade, he jumped off and the Chimera headed off to gather base personnel.

As he arrived to the hanger as he saw LesTre gearing up as was Seran, La-Cuse was monitoring the situation

"Doesn't look good, too many bombers"

"Alright" Silvas panted "The rest of you are with me, I take it they got you a plane Les?"

"Sure do boss" he said patting his gray coloured plane

"Good, LC, get launch authorisation from Ops while I gear up"

"Got it boss" La-Cuse said he turned back to the vox "Operations, Wolf Three-Three preparing"

"Recvied, you have clearance just get airborne"

Operations was a mass esteria of fear and panic, since the Tau bombers appered by the coast. Other wings had already launched and returned for re-fit, re-arm and re-fule. The only operator who had a wing still in the air was a Navy Lt. "Copy Wolf Three-Two, bandits bearing two-zero, more escrots. Wolf Three-One formation Two-Five is braking, good work. Wolf Three-Three launch and intersept, but leave some for the rest of the wings"

Each person looked at him "Whats the wing hes got?" asked one

"That Colithian wing, the Black Wolves I think"

The four Thunderbolts lead by Silvas gunning for the formation. La-Cuse checked back and could still see the long runway out into the bay, too damn close, he thought.

"This is Wolf Three-Three leader to Three-Two and One, copy?"

"Lead this is Two, I'm here" replied Mers

"I'm a little busy here" said Dax

"Alright boys, you know the drill"

"Stoop and Sting" said LesTre, as they all dived into the bomber pack, their cannons blazing.

The Tau guns turned to track the new comers. One at the lead began to weep smoke from its rear, it then suddenly exploded so violently fragments of hits hull clipped the two others in front of it.

"Who got that kill?" asked Jax

They could hear whooping and a black and gray Thunderbolt corkscrewed through the explosion "I just bagged my fifth" said Delmont

"Well-done Del, but don't get too cocky, there's still more Tau up here to kill" responded Silvas as he came in high on a bomber his hard rounds shredding the cockpit section. Another of the bombers went up suddenly, it was Rai bagging his sixth kill of the sortie, and he came in with two Makos on his tail. LesTre broke off his run on a bomber to help out. Dax wasn't too far behind.

Rai was trying to break the lock but they were all over him. The rear Mako shudders and fell in smoke and flame, LesTre had stung that one, but the other stuck hard.

"Boss, its him, it's the leader!" said LesTre

Silvas turned and bured for the intercept

"Six, on my mark you brake, I have a score to settle"

"Copy boss, just get him off me!"

The other two Wolves stuck tight, they where not going to let their little brother get stung, they where fireing wide keeping the Mako from fireing on Six's tail. Silvas came in between them, he fired a las burst clipping its tail. That got the Makos attention, Silvas had dropped low and came right up between it and Rai's bolt. The Mako pulled up chasing after him.

"Wolves I will lead him away the rest of you kill as meany of them as you can while fule and ammo last, Two your in charge, the rest of you if Mers says bug out you bug out like a bat out of hell"

He had recived aknolgements as he lead the lead Mako away.

"Six to all planes, the bombers have a missile pod under it, try hitting it there they will go up"

"Copy that, thanks for the tip. You heared him take them out from below"

Some of the bolts dived down and came up cannons spitting fire at the bombers, serveral started to fall and another exploaded as its munntions where hit.

Cal'Vas chased the Leade Imperial "Curious, why would this one risk his own life for one of this groupe?, perhaps there is more to the humans then meets the eye"

"This is Manta leader"

"I hear you Manta leader"

"We have to withdraw, too many have been lost"

"Understood, withdraw now. This is Cal'Vas, Mako leader, all remined fighters escort the Mantas out, return to base"

He recived numors responces, it was a big loss. But they will be back

"You have won a repreve this day human" he said as he pulled his Mako up away from the Impierial

Silvas looked up and saw the Mako runing.

"Boss they are retreating" said Dax

"Do we presue?" asked Delmont, now an ace and very eger"

"All planes check fule"

Each one reported they where nearing empty

"All planes RTB, we will get them again"

The sun was starting to set, it had been a tiring and stressful day. The base wasn't hit, none of the bombers made it past the bay. Each pilot of the Wolves at least made up to five kills. Delmont was very pleased with himself, went up as a rookie and returned as an ace.

Rai stepped down from his plane and nearly missed the last step, he fell but Dax and Mers caught him in time

"Thanks" he said

"No worries kid, you did pretty well, how many did you get?"

"Eight I think...I hit one but he stayed up"

"Impressive score there Rai" said Dax patting him on the back

"Del did pretty well to, got four"

"Three actually, one disappeared into a smoke plume, but he's now an ace"

Silvas stood back looking at his bolt as six more white lines added to the fusilarge. He put his hand on its nose "You keep doing me well and keep me alive" he looks over to Delmont as the fitters put on three more stripes, he smiled "We might just win this war" he said to himself.

The sun was far over the horizon, the members of the Tau Air-cast morned their loses, they kneeled befor Vel'Torth the Ethereal "All who have fallen, did so for the Grater Good" he said to them, his enterage of Firewarriors standing to attention around him.

"For the Grater Good" they replyed in unison.

Shas'Vre Tal'Matis was checking his Hammerhead gunship. He patted its flank "You keep serving me well" he said to it. The tank made no responce.

A bell sounded and the remeberance for the fallen and missing Air cast was done.

"Do you think they can still hold the skies for us?" asked Shas'La Ves'Mal, Matis' gunner

"I do belive so, but remmber Shas'La, we are all Tau, and are here for the Grater Good"

the gunner and driver both nodded.

One of the elite Shas'Vre apporched the Hammerhead crew

"Shas'Vre Tal'Matis" he asked behind his mask

"I am" Matis responded

"The Etherial Vel'Torth wants to speak to you personally"

"Me?" he asked puzzling "Why would a noble Ethereal want to talk with a common Firewarrior like me?"

"He belives you are far more then just a common Firewarrior, will you follow me"

Matis picked up his Pulse Carbine and his helm and followed the Elite to the large temple building. They passed the Air-cast members preforming thier own rememberance rituals.

He was stopped by two more of the Elites "I am sorry Bond Brother, but you must relinquish your weapon" Matis nodded, their duty was to protect the Etherial even if it ment their lives. It was un-heard of but it was belived a Firewarrior from the outcast tribes had tried to assassinate an Etherial on Tau. Since that day each member of the Fire cast had their weapons removed.

He was then escorted into the chamber a force field in front of two large doors came down and the doors opened, he was ushered inside.

Near the main gates sat two Imperial Guard tanks, they had the Tau emblom painted on their hulls. The men that stood on gaurd at the main gate where former members of the Imperial Guard and PDF, now used as auxillery forces to the Tau. Many humans had surrended to them. Few accsepted the new teachings and programming, others had fought agenst it. The Tau still didnt trust the humans that surrendered to them fully that is why they were given low key guard duties.

There had been a few altercations. A group of Firewarriors had singled out a former Guardsman and had beaten him to near death. It would take more time before the human auxileries and the Firewarriors would fight side by side, this is what the Etherial hoped.

"Shas'Vre Tal'Matis for you, noble Ethereal" said the Elite.

The Etherial beckond Matis over to him, the hardend Firewarrior aproched and dropped to one knee bowing his head

"I have come at your request noble Etherial, how can this common Firewarrior be of service to you and the Grater Good?"

"You are commander of the Third Echilon, am I correct?"

"You are indeed nobel one"

The Etherial stood up his long robes flowing around his skinny frame "I have a special assignment for you and your team"

"Anything the Ethereal commands"

"There are some humans who need to be trained in the arts of a Firewarrior"

Matis lifted his head up

"I have seen into these humans hearts, they are more willing then others"

"Begging the nobel ones pardon, but why me and my team?"

Vel'Torth smiled and turned to the Shas'Vre

"You have been looked apon to leading your own fire team and some day part of the Elite"

Shas'vre Tal'Matis bowed his head again "I will server as the Etherial wishes"

"Now go, Firewarrior, train them and you shall be rewarded"

Matis stood up and gave his casts sulute to the Etherial

"For the Grater Good, Shas'vre"

Matis stood out side the temple, his Hammerhead crew approched "Shas'vre?"

"I am fine, Shas'la, I am in..deep thought"

"How deep?"

"As deep as the seas on our birthworld"

"What did the Etherial need?"

"He needs us to train a group of the most willing humans to be Firewarriors"

"Can they be noble enough?"

"The Etherial belives so, and that is enough for me, get the Hammerhead ready"

"Yes Shas'vre" they said and ran over to their idel vehcial

Matis looked up at the high moon. Ever since he was a child the moon had always calmed him.

Silvas looked out the large window of his billet, a former holiday hotel over looking the bay. In its hayday this was a prime location for those wanting to escape the main land. But now it acts as billet for wing commanders. He looked at the same moon. It reminded him of home, right across from Emporer's Bay sat the space port where you can take a shuttle to Luna Colthia.

Such things Silvas misses, he wonders how life is back home. More of the Colthia youth enilsting into the Imperial Guard. Preachers giveing morning services. Those that cant join the Guard get placed into the PDF. Thats what happend to Silvas, at the age of seventeen he enlisted, but couldnt go into the Guard. Those three years he had sepnt in the PDF helped him get a Guard posting, and within four months he was sent away to fight in the name of the Emperor. His mother and father so proud of him and his yonger brother in his Cadet uniform. Colthian mothers are differnt, they know their offspring will serve they accsepted it. But every mother and father of every Colthian Guardsman was so proud of them.

The thoughts of home made him smile.

Accross the vastness of space, several Imperial Navy warhsips made their slow journy to the Kerman System. On board two of the large troop carriers the men of the 101st Colthian Airborne, the Talons, sat around a large hologram of the planet. Each one sat in their gray-black cammo fagties, boreing the double head eagle on their shoilders. These men are the elite, shock drop troops. Their special equiped Valkiers sat in their cradels in the ships cargo hold.

"Now men" said a overly booming voice "This world, Kerman V, has been under seage by the xenos forces known as the Tau"

"Vermin scum everyone of them" a young Guardsman said in the back row

"Heheh, very much so trooper. Wich is why we are being sent here. The Tau have pushed our allies back to this island, here"

"Sir, who do we have down there?" asked another trooper

"So far local PDFs and large eliments of the 56th Korda Armoued and 129th Korda Rifles, along with many Imperial air wings. Even one from homeworld"

"Whos that sir?"

"The Black Wolves, of the 187th Imperial Colthian Fighter Wing"

All the troops clapped and cheered they knew with friends from the home world in the air it will to easy to win

"Hey Mers, isnt the Wolves your dads wing?" whispered a Guardsman

"Yeah" said Corporal Mers "Thats him"

The Commander contiuned with the breffing.

The sound like distant thunder filled the night air. The Guard had placed Basilsk arttillary guns along the northen shore, they where pounding the coast on the mainland. Capitan Forge Mers stood on top of a heavy loader, the sea breeze was very cooling. "Heres to a very busy day" he said to him self.

Dawn broke around 05:30hrs. A still miste hung over the airfiled, it almost felt peacful. Operations had placed four wings on stand-by, the Black Wolves where one of them. Each pilot took turns sitting in their bolts. Silvas wanted at least four planes maned at all time incase of a snap call, he gave them half-an hour each.

It was an ankstious wait. Delmont and Rai played a game of Liberation, a Colthian card game. Seran took up the vox system listening for the call.

The others slept, talked or joked to pass the time.

Mers was busy sharpening his large combat knive. "When ever are you gonna use that thing?" asked Dax stering from his nap

"You never know, I may have to eject and land behind enermy lines. I would use it to slit a few throuts"

"And what about that?" he asked pointing to Mers large calber revolver

"Something special"

"Mers is a bit of the old school Dax"

"That and I dont like using the standered issued las-pistols. Besides if I'm going to kill something, I want to feel it"

"Mers your up, Dax, Rai and Delmont stand by call" said Ramos as he checked the board

"Man why me?" complined Dax

"We gotta keep a rotation you know, you've only done it, twice since"

The four men picked up their flight helmets, and started to climb the ladders. Jax, LesTre, La-Cuse and Coros remained in their untill their relife was ready. This was to make sure that, as Silvas had said, at least four Thunderbolts where manned and ready if a snap call was due. They could sit with their helmets off and canopes open but they had to be sitting and the bolt launch ready. The others climbed down as Mers gave a thumbs up.

They had been sitting waiting for nearly twenty minuets. "SNAP CALL" Seran shouted as kalxons sounded

"What we got?" asked Silvas running over to him

"Bats, Baracuda-class, twenty plus, inbound hot"

"Silvas to Wolves Two, Six, Twelve and Three. Baracudas on inbound launch is a go, intersepted"

They gave their responses and started to power up their planes, their fans turning over.

Jax looked back to them then over to Silvas "Sir" he shouted over the noise "Show Wolves Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten prepearing" he shouted as they ran back to their planes. Mers and his group where already airborne and buring to meet the Baracudas.

"Got it Jax, did you get that Seran?"

Seran just nodded

The second set of Bolts took off, they where still prepard. The remaing ones would take some time. Silvas ran over to the cheif fitter

"Bersan" he calls out

"Sir?"

"How quick can you get our birds preped for flight"

"Four minuets give or take"

"Set a speed record"

"Sixty seconds sir"

"Get on it"

"SIR" he turned to the other fitters "ALRIGHT I NEED THOSE PLANE ON PRE-FLIGHT IN SIXTY SECONDS MOVE IT!"

Crusing at four thousand meters Mers flight could see the rising sun glinting off the hulls on the Baracudas

"Two, this is Six, banits at three-two-zero"

"Copy Six, Flight turn into them and engage, weapons live"

The four bolts turned to face the Tau planes. They engaged with their quad cannons blazing

Jax's flight was only three minuets behind them, gunning after them. They could see their comrads darting around the formation, a few of the Baracudas fell as they where stung.

"Sting them" Jax ordered as they too burned to join the fray.

Two more wings joined them. One of the new commer bolts was stug out right

"MAKOS BRAKE BRAKE BRAKE!" Shouted a Navy pilot

"Wolf Two to Anubis Leader, deal with those fighters, Scavenger flight with me!"

"Anubis lead, copy engaging"

"Copy Wolf Two joining your flight" said Scavenger leader, he was a young Navy pilot from the HighSea base along the coast, he sounded scared.

"Scav One, calm down and stick with me"

"Copy Wolf Two"

The six remaining bolts from Scavenger flight murged into the fight, Sacvenger lead sticking tight with Mers.

"Wolf Leader to Two"

"Copy leader"

"On way ETA two minuets"

"Copy Lead, theres plenty for everyone"

The four remaing bolts from the Wolves joined in the fray all scoring good kills on their pass. Rai and Delmont now seemed to be best friends where working together. Rai got his third kill, but Delmont got his second, one was chasing Rai befor. Anubis wing from the 257th Navy Fighter Group had forced the esorting Makos to flee, but they will be back.

"Anubis Lead to Wolf Lead"

"Copy Anubis Leader"

"Getting a hard return, a much larger formation"

"Location?"

"Unsure, but it seems to be below us"

"Copy, Operations this is Wolf Leader"

"Reciving Wolf lead"

"New contact, any friendlies in this area?"

Theres a short pause "Negative we have nothing else up there at this time, closest allies six minuets out"

"Anubis, Stoop and Sting!" orderd Silvas as he went under an advianceing Baracuda

The sand coloured bolts of the Anubis wing dived down onto the Tau Mako fighters. They where using the cliff wall and the sea to mask their approch. They scattered with panic once the diving Imperials found them, one of the Makos banked too hard and ended up slamming into the cliff wall, another tried to climb but was stug and fell into the sea disintergating on impact.

To Silvas something wasnt right, the larger Baracudas where fighter bombers, was this anttempted to soften up their lines? No matter, they will not give the sky to them so easily.

After the Makos broke formation they rose and formed up again. They fired their missiles at the Imperials above

"Anubis Lead to all planes, BRAKE BRAKE BRAKE WARHEADS ON THE FIGHTERS!"

"YOU HEARD THE MAN ALL PLANES BRAKE!" repeated Silvas, as the Wolves and Scavangers broke formation. One of the gray-green bolts of the Scavengers was hit in the mid seciton, the explostion disintergrated the Imperial fighter, only its nose section fell like a comet. Another Scavenger plane was hit in the tail, the pilot ejected, his chut opend. The surviving Scavengers went in all dircetstions trying to evade the seeking warheads.

The Makos below where getting ready for another salvo but the bolts from Anubis changed the tune. Three of the Tau where stung forcing others to miss fire or lose their lock.

Rai had a missile track him, be chased down a Baracuda. He pulled up and lit his burners over the hull of the cuda. The missile slammed the fighter-bomber detonaing in a firey explostion.

"Boss, try and get close and burn the 'cudas, send the missiled off track"

"Copy Six, all planes follow Rai's lead"

A Baracuda locked onto Silvas, it fired its main cannon, he banked hard to the right the shot only cliped his port engine and flap. A warning rune lit up "Dammit" he shouted, and tried to evade but the Tau was tight on him. Mers came up vertical, his auto guns fireing, the rounds tore into the Baracuda's hull shredding viatl components, it began to weep smoke, Mers finished it off with a burst of las, the machine's starbord side exploded sending it into an unrecoverable spirle

"Tail clear boss, get home"

"Copy that Two, you have lead" he responded braking

"I will stick with you, just make full burn home"

The two bolts burned out of the dog-fight into a clearing. Mers broke off to rejoin the fight.

Lockon warning tone, a lone Mako had snuck up on him. It fired one of its missiles. Silvas tried to jink and viftt out, but the missile stayed on. He got ready to eject, until, and explotion right behind him, warning lights light up across his board, he struggled to regain control. He tuned the plane and saw the reminas of a Thunderbolt fall from the sky.

"All planes" he said "All planes check in"

"Three Im still here"

"Five Im alive sir"

"Six, Im here boss"

"Seven Im ok"

"Eight still flying"

"Twelve ok"

"Ten here

"Nine flying"

"Two, Four sound off"

"This is Four, had one my tail. Im here"

"Wolf Two, respond" his heart began to race "Mers, respond now"

"Lead Six, I saw it...I saw it Mers...he..."

"Check for a chut now, and tell me where the bastard went"

"Anubis Four to Wolf lead"

"Go, Anubis Four"

"I saw the bastered run, its fleeing at two-one-six"

"No one touch it, hes mine"

Silvas turened to chase fleeing Tau, gunning at full burn. The Mako, a gray-green craft like the bolts of the Scavenger. The Mako twisted and turned trying to lose the hunter on its tail. Silvas wanted blood, he wanted revenge. He didnt want that fighter to put a Wolf kill on its score. He was pushing his Thunderbolt beyond its owe torlirance limits. He got the sweet sound of a lock tone, he depressed the gun sutdd. The airframe shuddered as the cannons fired. The rounds tore into the crafts rear, destorying engine parts and systems. It began to fall smoke and flame pouring out. The craft was dead. But Silvas wanted to make sure the pilot was dead too. Switching to las he fired a long burst. The Mako detonated, and its flaming wreck arched down into the sea.

Cal'Vas watched in horror as the Imperial plane killed the Mako "He has fire in his heart" he said "All reaming Makos and Baracuda's retrun to base, we are done here for today"

The Mako and Baracudas turned and made a full burn back to their base.

"Boss they are braking, do want us to presue?" asked Delmont after scoring his ninth kill

"Negative, Wolves RTB"

"But we got them" said Jax

"Anubis Leader here, we are with you, just say the word"

"We got the planes sir, we can take them" said Dax

"Wolf leader to Scav One"

"Go ahead Wolf Leader"

"Whats your wing strenght?"

"Down by three planes"

"Understood, Anubis?"

"lost one, engin damage, pilot ejected" responded Anubis leader

Silvas looked out the escaping Tau where getting further and further away, he just shook his head "All craft return to base"

"But sir-"

"Thats an order pilot" Silvas snaped. "Scavenger flight you stick with us, Anubis flight thank you for your assistance"

"Welcome Wolf flight, good hunting. If you need us we will be happy to join the fight"

"Thank you, Wolf and Sacvenger flights RTB"

The flight back was quiet, no one made a noise, exepted to repate their fule status.

"Operations this is Wolf leader, returning with four, repeat four extras"

"Understood Wolf leader"

Some twenty minuets later they had all landed safe, not all unfrotuely. Silvas got out of his cockpit, climbing down the ladder. He looked over to the hardstand that once sat Mers bolt, he just sighed deeply

"Someones got to inform Mers wife" said Rai

"She works in the Admistruim, thats near Ops...she might already know" replyed Dax

"I will do it" said Silvas

Silvas walked up to his billet at the old seaview hotel. Stripped out of his flight gear. As he opend the large wardrob to take out his officers dress uniform. He never liked the deep gray uniform. Since his days as a trencher he had never warn a dress uniform untill he became an officer. He doned the uniform on, his chest of medal ribbons, the Colthian shiled crest on his left sleeve. The golden aquila over his right brest pocket. The golden winged badged of his rank on his shoilders He pulled out a small box from the floor of the wardrobe. Opening it he took out a large silver collar that had both the Imperial double headed eagle and the badge of the Inquistion embroded on it, snapping it around his shirt collar he then pulled out a las pistol, this weapon was unlike any common service pistol, it was made from the finest silver and had the aquila posted in gold. Its handel set in brass. He holsetd it, then picking up his officer hat, he marched out of his room. Others he passed stopped and suluted as he passed, he gave them each a sulute in return.

Once out side he walked over to the Admistrum building. The two PDF gaurds snapped to attention and opend the door for him. Once in side he saw the place wasnt as plush as the Operations complex.

"I am looking for Versa Mers" he asked the desk clark

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked him

"No, but I am a personal friend of hers, and Im here on offiical business"

"Sorry no appointment no entery"

"Are you going to sit there and deny an officer of the Imerpial Guard who, might I remind you, is fighting for your world"

The office door opend, and older woman of Erusan origon spoke in a soft tone "It's alrught Fera, he can some in"

Silvas walked over to her, and follwed her through the door.

"Versa" he begin as she sat down behind her desk, she raised her hand to stop him.

"Do you know how handsom he was when we first met?" she asked him picking up and looking at an old photograph

"I…no sorry I don't, I just thought he was..."

"Built?"

"Yeah"

"He always told me of some young upstart hot head who didnt know the meaning of the word fear"

"Im sorry, thats just a Colthian trate"

"Indeed, but he always said he admired you" she putting the photo back down "I know why you are here Hans"

Silvas just lowered his head

"Anyone else you wouldnt be here. But with Verion, I know. I had prayed to the God Emporer that he was safe, and only lost his plane"

He steps forward "A Colthina knows his or her duty will end, weather they are alive or dead is up to the Emporer. It was his time. You should be proud of him, he did his duty to the end"

Versa nodded holding back the tears "I am proud of him, proud to of been his wife for all these years, even if war and duty got in the way. I am proud he gave me two wonderful sons. I am not a Colthian like you or him, but I know his sons would of follwed in his footsteps. My sons will need to know"

"I will see to that"

"He asked me to give you something...if this ever happend to him" she said opening a draw at her desk. She pulled out a wooden box, she got up to hand it to him

Silvas took it, and opend it. Inside was a simular knive to what Mers had been sharpening before his last flight and under that was a simular high calaber revolver. A hand written note sat at the bottom of the box, it simply said _Keep on fighting Hans_. He looked back up to her

"I did say he admired you" she said with a smile

"Thank you, Versa I will keep them with me always"

Versa Mers went back to her desk "I take it they will relocate me, since my husband was killed"

"They wont, I wont let them. You still have friends here and one of your boys is on his way here"

She looked up at him smiling again "Thank you Hans"

Silvas snapped to attention "On behalf of the Black Wolves, the Military of Colthia and the entire Imperium. I thank you" he said suluting.

Once outside the Admistum building, a cooling wind picked up. He walked back to the hanger where the Wolves where stationed. It had now been a few hours since their air brawl, but they where still feeling the sting of losing Mers. In the far cornor the the four remaining pilots of the Navy Scavengers wing sat, silent not wanting to intrude. They felt unwelcome giveing the situation. Silvas stood at the mouth of the hanger he watched the others telling of stories of how Mers kicked their backsides into shape.

"Alright I want four planes on the ready" he shouted "The war wont wait"

The men suddenly snapped to attention as did the four Navy pilots. He looked around the men, all of them fine figures of Colthian males. "Pilots Dax, Rai and Delmont report to my office, the rest of you get four planes preparied a snap call could come in at any minuet"

"Yes sir" they said in unison

"Sir" said one of the Navy pilots "what do you want us to do?"

"Watch and learn, and I will be speaking to you four later"

Inside the major's office the three pilots sat, wondering what is going to happen to them. The major entered and closed the door. "Do you three know why I have brought you in here?" he asked them

They all shook their heads.

"Well let me tell you, The three of you have show up on my auspex"

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" asked Dax

"Its good, you three are proforming above expectations, esepaically you Rai"

"Me?" he asked

"Out standing flying and killing up there, those forty kills you earned. And you Delmont, a new comer but already exceeding past expecations"

Delmont blushed "Thank you sir"

"Given the most recent loss, we need to be at full strength. So here are the changes. Lt. Dakker, you are now promoted to Capitan and flying as my number two"

"Thank you sir, I promis I wont let you down"

"Pilot Officer Reces"

Rai snapped to attention "Sir"

"I am prmoting you to full Flight Lt. and you will be flying as my Three"

"Yes sir" Rai smiled

"And Delmont"

"Sir" he said also snapping to attention

"I am very pleased with you, and to keep you getting the kills and being part of the wing, you are herby premoted to Flight Lt also, and moved up to fly Seven. Thats the Second flight group, means you will be up there more often"

"Sir, thank you sir!"

"But this premotion in rank and status has a few condistions, the four rookies, I want you three to train them up. Navy said the wing wasnt ready and the pilots would be reassigned, so I have said we will take them and thier bolts in. In this war we will need all the planes we have. So make your annoucments, dissmised" As he handed Rai and Delmont Lt bars, and Dax a set of shiny new Capitan's bars

"Yes sir" they said in unison as they suluted, Silvas suluted back.

The three pilots showed off thier new ranks, nearly all of the wing where now officers. Pilot Officer Vorlis joined only to fight, he didnt do this for medals or rank, just to kill for the Emporer. As for Coros, he was like Delmont eger but when requested by Silvas himsef to join the wing, he jumped at the chance, someday he will be wearing an officer rank.

After the celibrations, they came up to the rookie Navy pilots.

"Alright" started Dax "I'm Capitan Roden Dakker, my friends call me Dax, you can call me Sir or Capitan Dakker. We have been assigned to train you guys up. So lets have a look at you"

The four pilots stood up showing thier Navy issued flight suites and armour. Dax checked each one. The smaller one had their flight suite just hangging off his frame. "Rai go to stores and get a new flight suit for this one"

"Got it"

"Ok your names, we cant keep calling you Rookies, all the time, Right Del?"

"Oh yeah, every pilot needs a name"

"Pilot Corden Vertas" said the leader

"Forge Blane"

"Faze Seran" said the smallest one

"Tager Vella" said the last one.

Delmont was making a note of thier names.

Cal'Vas stood on the blacony of the large Air Cast tower looking out over the bay. Dispite destroying a few of those Imperials, one aircraft still stuck in his mind. The one who savagly destoyed Las'Tok, a dear friend. How many more of his cast must fall befor the humans relises their defet is immiante.

"A heavy mind wights more apon ones shoilders" a voice behind him said. He turned and saw the Etherial, Vel'Torth, apporch flanked by his Firewarrior guards.

"Noble Etheriral, I was unawere you had entered" hs said bowing respectivly

"No need to be formal, Cal'Vas of the Air Cast, I heard you lost a close friend to a human this day"

"I have, the human slane Las'Tok, it showed no mercy or honor"

"The humans are an unseual race, I have seen and heard they kill their own. A scence of honor I belive. Their doctrain states _Death befor Dishonour _"

"They are a savage race, we shouldnt use them, where did you hear this"

"They are misguided, with some time and re-education they can be a much simpler race to deal with in future. And I heard it from one of their harded soilders. Their language can be foul at times. Be gratful you do not have to understand them.

Early morning over the airfield. Major Silvas had gatherd and returned Mers belongings to Versa. He had changed back into his flight suite, a combat sortie at dusk. The three have poven them selves again, good choices, he thought. He looked over and saw Dlemont and Rai teaching the Navy pilots about dog-fight tachtics. Del even got a chance to lead a flight up and scored two more kills.

"Hes doing well" said Dax

"Del?, yeah, hes go the look about him"

"The same look that Mers saw you had those years ago?"

"That was an eternity ago. Which one of those Navy rookies has more combat experiance do you think?"

"I asked Versa for their records, theres two with impressive scores, Forge Blane, Navy Lt. forteen kills in one sortie, total of twenty-three for his career. and that taller one, the leader Corden Vertas, nearly thirty career kills four previous wings, all lost"

"Who is best for the flight possition?"

"Well you are the leader sir, its your call. I could recomend Corden, he has skill, needs tweeked but he has it"

"Very well, as your the number Two, Train them up an we will see what they got"

"You know, we could be a wing of thriteen"

Silvas thought for a moment "We could be, but thirteen has been seen as an unlucky number for a Colthian unit"

"What about a reserve wing?" said Rai standing behind Dax.

The two older pilots looked at him "That is not a bad idea" said Silvas "Good work Rai"

Rai just blushed

"Dax make it so, get those three reminaing pilots on a resver flight aloft as and when we need them"

"What do I do with them untill they are needed?"

"Get them to the simulators, get them to read up on the Tau and their aircraft"

"So they know what to shoot at, huh?"

"Bingo" He said patting Dax on the arm "This is the joys of being a number two"

Shas'vre Tal'Matis watched the human auxilaires run with thier Tau commanders, fellow Shas'vre, as they put them through their paces. The Etherial had trusted the humans enough to replace their obsulte weapons and armour. Their human eyes could not understand the optics the Tau used, but no matter they still used their own optics, crude but effective.

"I still dont like it" said Kal'Ves, Matis' Hammerhead gunner

"What dont you like about it now?" asked Ver'Seth the pilot

"Alowing the humans free roam here, with the Etherial...its too-"

"The Etherial trusts them, and that is enough for me. Not all the humans are the same, these ones welcome their re-education and will now fight with us for the Grater Good"

"And what of the other humans, the ones who refuse the re-education?"

"They will be delt with in time. We have more pressing matters to attend to"

"Those machined the humans have with them...filthy things and noisy" said Kal'Ves

"The humans seem to like them" replaied Ver'Seth laughing.

On the observation deck of the former Imerial control tower, Commander Kais stood over looking the humans training. The Etherial stood beside him

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked

"You have always spoken your free mind, my son, do you not turst your Etherial?"

"I do noble one, forgive my ignorance"

"It is forgive commander. You have witness the humans in combat, are they not effective?"

"They are, and can be savage. I have seen them kill their own kin"

"It is their way, we can not judge them how they live, as we where once just as savage. Remember, not all of the humans are the same as the one next to them"

"This dosn't look good" said the Air Commendant looking at airial photo from a Lightnight recon flight

"Imperial armour settled with the enermy" said the Imperial Guard commander

"Captured?" asked a less seninor Navy officer

"Unknown sir" said the Navy pilot, he wore the flight badge of the 322nd Bloodhounds

"We will need a Maurder stike, but those look like anit-air defenses, Serpents, I think they are called"

"Yes sir, rappied fireing, can chew up a slow moving Maurder befor it reaches the cliffs"

"That will be all pilot thank you"

The pilot snapped to attention and suluted "Sir" he said, befor turnning on his heels and marching out of the room.

"The coastal defenses will need to be killed first and fast, sending the Maurders out would just be plain murder"

"I want four Maurder wings from the souther bases sent here"

"How are we going to kill those guns?"

"Lightinings?" asked the Navy officer

"Small and fast, but not able to carry rack weapons and not very well armoued" responded the Air Commendant

"Thunderbolts then?" said the Imperial Guard officer

"We lost too many, air combat is alot differnt from the ground"

"Most wings are at their limits we cant risk loseing too many. If this big offensive is to be pulled off, as Segmentum command insists, then we will need every airworthy fighter we have. Who is there we have who can do this?"

The other officers shook their heads

"There is one squad you ar forgetting" said a voice from the dark cornor of the room

"Major General, I forgot you where there"

"Indeed you have. I have been sat here listening to you lot complain and moan, and I am getting sick of it" the man stepped forward. His chest full of medals, a large silver set eagle head on his right shoilder, On his left was a large sheild crest set in the Colthian military colours. He walked with a long cane set in ivory and gold. "I have been stationed on this world for far too long. I have seen many soilders and pilots come here to fight, to bleed, to die. And all for this world. I see you here, all of you, you say you are leaders of men, then why are you not out there fighting, bleeding and dying with them? I have leand men into battle. I now may be an old warhorse past his prime, but I still know how a leader should truly lead his men"

"This squad you mentuioned, who are they?" asked the Air Commendant

The Major general stood up, puffing out his chest with deep pride "The Black Wolves"

The other officers looked at each other, as if he was speaking another language

"The Black Wolves, been in many engaments since they arrived. And have been keeping this base out of the enermey's reach for some time now"

"Anything speacial about them?" asked the Nayv officer

"More then you relise Admeral" said the Guard general

"Indeed, they are an elite squad of Colthian pilots, give them the task of killing those costal guns and the Maruders will have nothing to fear about"

"They have a go, tell the armoury to send rockets to the Black Wolves station"

The runied Imperial city lay befor him. It was a sorry sight, how many? he asked him self, how many men fell to those filthy xenos as they walked over this city. Above all he could see where the xneos planes, he would often hold his las rifle up at them mimicing shooting them down. If only, he thought, if only.

"Sarg" a voice shouted up to him. Tunring around he jumped down from the bombed out building

"What is it?" he snaped

The Guardsman pointed down the street. He could hear the distingive sound of a Leman Russ engine reving and the squeaking of its tracks. He looked over to the destroyed shop across from him, he made a hand guesterd, the Guardsman over there nodded and disspred. The tanks noise got louder. The street split into a fork, the building in the middle housed a Guardsman sniper. This gave him the perfect vantage point. The tank came closer, the sergeant raised his arm. The sniper got the commander in his crosshairs, one, two, three, he squeezed the trigger. His large caliber rifle recoiled back as the round spat out.

The back of the commanders skull burst open like a ripe frut. Shards of skull and brain matter flung out. He fell back limp. The tanks turret travested and raised its main cannon aiming at the location of the sniper.

"CHARGE" shouted the sergent. His men poured out from thier hiding places swarming over the tank. They dragged the dead comander out befor throwing in a granade. One of the Guardsmen jumped down into the tank after the grande detonated

"Whats the status?" asked the sergent

"Bit of a mess, but no damage to the important stuff" he said as he made his way to the drivers seat, he reved its engine "That still works"

"Got it, Kergson your driving. Braz let our marksman know its safe"

The other Guardsman standing on the tank nodded, and rised his las rifle up waving it. The sniper saw this through his scope, and breathed a sigh of relife.

"Coms, call base, tell them we just liberated another Leman" he said to the Guardsman with the vox pack, who nodded and turned his attention to his system.

The sergent looked around with a big grin on his face. He put his hand into a clip pouce on his belt and pulled out a long cigar, putting it between his lips "Anyone gotta light?"

A trooper standing beside the tank threw up his lighter, his sergent caught it and snaped a flame on it. Putting it to the cigar end. He threw the lighter back to the trooper "thanks" he said.

As he cought it, a blue energey round tore through his torso from the side. "CONTACTS REAR!" someone shouted as more rounds shot past them. The other Guardsmen jumped down from the tank and took cover, one was hit in the leg, another had a round grace off his shoulder pad, leaving a black scorce mark. There was a combination of blue and red engery rounds. Many where hitting the rear of the Russ, leaving black marked from where they where impacted.

"Sarge!" one shotuted "What we gonna do?"

Befor he could say anything the Leman Russ's turret turned faceing ite rear. It was Kergson he was still in the tank.

Corporal Jegry Kergson, normaly a heavy bolter operator, looked down the sighte, he saw other former Imperial Guard pour out from the back of a Chimrea, and Tau jump from a Devilfish. Both where threats, but he hoped they where close enough to hit. He stamped on the gunner fireing peddle, and the tank rocked on it shock absorbers as it spat its heavy round. It impacted on the Chimera, tearing it apart and lifting it up and on to the Tau APC., the two vehicels detonated sending parts and plating and bodies off in all directions. The surviors ran for cover, one of the humans was stuck in the head by their sniper. Who has not moved from his vantage point. The sergeant motioned his men to scatter and cover in the buildings. Several Tau and a human had escaped into a bombed out aprtment building. The sniper tracked and picked off another Tau running for cover, the tank's turret travesrted again aiming at the building. Kergson grined as he saw them through the target sight, then stamped on the fireing peddel. The round spat out and reduced what was left of the building to dust and rubble. The Tau and the human had dissapred in the cloud. The sergeant and his surving men came out of their hiding place, they saw one of the humans that fired at them stumble out of the dust "p-please" he said "dont shoot" he said holding his side.

The other Guardsmen aimed their weapons to him, their sergenat signaled them to lower their weapons. He walked over to the auxilaery trooper "now now lad, no one's gonna shoot ya" he said as he unsheathed his combat knife, then plunged it hard into the troopers chest. He cried out as his blood filled his mouth "There are other ways of kill ya" the sergeant said pulling the blade from the trooper's chest. He looked over at his men "Let's get outta here, before more of them show up".

They gathred up their dead Guardsman, laying him down on the back of the Leman Russ. The resistance recovered another tank.

The Navy troop carrier was now entering the system, some of the other ships broke off to enter orbit of another planet, a dark ice world. The troop carrier carring the 101st continued on its set corse. Those men where making their preperations, checking thier equipment, they would normlay jump from a fast moving Valkire and deploy thier anit-grav chutes. But the brefings stated thery where doing something differnt.

"Jumping out of a large slow moving plane?" said Creious, a soilder with fourty seven jumps under his belt

"Thats what they said" said their gunnery sergeant, a tall man named Perman.

"So that means...we're not using the Valks?" asked corporal Fellas who was leaning agenst his Valkier

"Dont worry Fel, we will just not for the main attack I belive"

Fellas turned and patted its hull "Dont worry baby, we will get out back out in the skies again, air through your intakes and under your wings"

"ATTENTION ON DECK!" a voice shouted, all the troopers droped what they where doing and stood to attention in two lines. The troopers who shouted the command stood to one side also to attention.

A man wearing the simular combat fagties as the rest of the men walked up between the two files. One of his hands was a augment but moved like his real hand. He was flanked by two Colthian Commisars. The mans face had scars and one eye was replaced by a machinacl augment. He was an officer, a filed general. But unlike many officers of his rank his sleves where rolled up showing tattoos, he even bore one of the Colthian miltary emblam, the double headed eagle clutching the Colthian shiled in one tallon and a sword in the other.

He looked around at the men "They are all so young" he said to one of his Commissars

"Yes they are" he replied "But eger and determined"

"Where we ever so young?"

"Perhaps, but that was another life time"

"We are the old warhorses today Bergs, this is their war now, we just lead them"

"Is that who I think it is?" whispered a soilder standing next to Mers

"The old war dog him self" replied the gunny

The general climbed ontop of some cargo containers "MEN" he shouted "There is a world in need of our help"

"What else is new?" said a trooper down the line, the hanger errupted in laughter, the Commisars and the general joined in

"Agreed" the general carried on "A large Tau force sweeped through their main land pushing many Imperial and allied forces back. Only a large island stands in the way for total victory. This is our mission, we will be the spearhead force punching a hole to the very heart of the Tau"

"Sir, your saying we do all the hard work, and the locals and other Imperial forces just wade in after?"

"Your forgetting Telsa, we get have more fun"

"That is correct, everyone, even the God Emporer him self knows how fearsom we are in close quarters, they do not call us Talons for nothing"

"Rip them to shreads!" shouted another trooper

"But we are not alone, I have it on good intel that there are at least three squadrons from home, who are currently fighting to secure the air space for the major offecnsive"

"Who are they sir?" asked the second Commisar

"I'm glad you asked, they are Raven, from the 215th Intercepter wing, the 212nd Fast Recon wing, Hawkeyes. And last, but sertanely not least. The 187th Tactical Fighter and Hunter wing, the Black Wolves"

"The Wolves are there? we have been surely blessed"

"That we have, each wing is fighting hard to secure the air space for us, pray for them and our allies unaccounted for since the invatstion. We can, and we WILL win this war"

"Mers, isnt that your farthers squad?" asked Fellas

"Yeah it is" Mers said whispering

"We are now only four days away from the main planet in this system. Once plaent side I will be working close with the commanders there, so dont expect me to be around much. And befor any of you ask, there are places of interset in the costal city. Now lets get back to work, fall out" he said and stepped down from the containers "Corprol Mers I would like to speak with you"

"What about sir?"

"In private, please"

The two walked over to another Valkier in the hanger, walking up is boarding ramp. The cornel hit a switch to raise the ramp.

"What was it about sir?" asked Mers standing to attention

The officer looked at the young man, he is only twenity and already been in combat thrity six times. "Its about your father, a Colthian air ace, Group Capitan Verion Jel Mers"

"What about him sir?"

"Hes a hero, a bold soilder, strong willed. I had the upmost honour in serveing with him during the Casea campainge"

"He had mentioned that on a few occations sir, he was my insperation to enlist, and join the Talons"

The coronel puts his hand into his pocket, pulls out a paper docet wafer "Then it is with a heavy heart I have to tell you this"

Mers looked at the officer puzzled "Tell me what sir?"

"God-Emporer how I hate to do this, your father's CO informed me this morning, ship time, that Capitan Verion Mers was died on the 211th of the 781 Imperial year, I am so sorry coprol"

"Did he die in combat sir?"

"Engaged in hostile action, killed defending his squad leader. He has been granted a two rank promotion and the Colth Star Cross medal, one of our highest honours"

"He always said, if he was going to die, he would rather do it clutching a las rifle and surounded by hundred of enermy dead. Never in a bed"

"His squad leader wanted me to pass a message to you"

"What was that?"

"He said 'Your father was one of the gratest men I have ever served with, he fought bravly and died with honour', if you need some time to-"

"No sir" Mers said "I would rather get to work, it will help me. And I want to kill many of them when we land"

The coronel smiled, just like his father, he knows his duty "Very well, carry on corporal" he said with a saulte. Mers saulted back, he lowered the ramp and exited.

A lone Lightning from the Hawkeyes flew faster over the Tau base, too high for their anti-air guns, but their Mako's could be a problem, the pilot thought, his name was Lt. Devin Alses, just as young as Lt. Delmont. Why did I draw the short straw for this? he had asked him self since he took off. His Lightning was a gray machine with black coloured trim, almost perfect camo for this mission, as long as the cloud cover continues. Like all pilots he checked his fule gage, odd it still read full, he had been flying for nearly a hour, the techs will need to know this. He dived down through the clouds then he saw them.

A field with seven large aircraft, much biggers then the Tau bombers. These where known as Manta pattern heavy transports, abel to carry two tanks, their combat suits and at least twenty of their troops. If one lands its not a big problem, but it more then two land it dose, these would be used as a forward assulte force, then hundreds of Orca's would come over spilling more troops. He took the airial phots and made some gun cam shots. They where big, but well fortified, killing one wont be easy.

His alrets light up, contact seven Makos coming up fast, crap! No time to think just have to react. He pushed his Lightning down to the deck, then pulled a hard

turn around double backing and shooting under the attacking Makos. What the Lightning lacked in firepower and armour, it made up for with speed and manuveralbity. he hit his burners, he didnt relised untill he saw the first blue shots shoot past him, but he was now in range of thier guns, the Makos turning and gunning after him.

"This is Hake Two-Six, I got the pics, but they didnt like me catching them in the shower, got hositles on my six, assistance needed"

Four Thunderbolts from the Black Wolves where on bay petorl when they got the call

"Copy operations, show Wolf Two-Two dealing, planes check back" said Dakker over the Vox

"Wolf Four ready" Vorlis responded

"Wolf Seven ready" Delmont added

"Wolf Nine ready" said Coros

"Alright we got a Colth Lighting with hostiles, Lighting's safty is paramount, eagage hostiles no heroics. Wolf Flight Two-Two, Tora. Tora. Tora!"

The fours bolts turned hard and made a full burn to the coast line.

Blue shots zipping past the fragile Lighting, a round had clipped his port las cannon, tearing it off. He was zipping around the tallest building he could find, hoping to make one of them, at least, slam into it. But he was nearing the coast, and the bay. Almost there. He felt his plane jump and shutter he looked around the cockpit, red runes light up, many of them indicating his starboard engine was damaged, smoke pouring out of the wounded engine "Damn!" he shouted

"Operations, where the hell are my escorts!"

"Wolf Two-Two leader to Hawk Two-Six, calm down, you will live longer"

"Starborad engine down, bleeding smoke, may not live THAT much longer"

"Copy, hold course ETA forty seconds"

Hold course? what are you an idiot, who are.. His collistion alarm shouted at him he saw the distinctive noses of four Thunderbolts apper each one with his canons lit up. Two of the puresuing Makos where stung outright, a third was damaged but its cockpit sections was shredded, it eventualry fell to earth.

"Wolf Two to all planes, that Lightning must survie"

"Copy Two, we will keep them busy, Lightning get clear"

Wolf Seven turned hard and fired two bursts into another Mako, slicing it in half "Bagged another!" Delmont shouted

"Nine escort the Lightning home, its survivel is a priority"

"Copy Two, Hawk Two- Six turn One-Two-Four" said Coros as he broke off his attack

"Copy" responded Hawk Two-Six.

The bigger Thunderbolt shadowed the smaller Lightning, using his more armoured machined as a shield. The remaing three where distracting the enermy fighters to buy the escaping planes time.

The Lightning and its Tunderbolt escort where midway over the bay, Coros was keeping it just ahead of him. "Hawk Two-Six, whats your stauts?"

"Wolf Nine, Starboard enegin shut down, still flying"

"Got it, just keep stright and I'll-" he was interupted by his lock on warning. A small group of Mako fighters where gunning up after them from below. Stupid Coros, should of been checking. "Hawk puch it for home, leve them to me"

"But you cant-"

"Thats an ORDER, Get out of here NOW!"

The small plane lit his one engine pushing hard for home, while Coros darted around the Makos, he saw one brake off to go after the Lightning. He tore him self away from an easy kill to go after the one chasing the Lightning down, he fired his cannons, his hard rounds zipping past the fighter.

"WHAT THE HELL!, WHOS SHOOTING!" the Lighting pilot shouted over the vox

Coros relised what the Tau was doing, he was wanting the recon planes own escort to shoot it down, Coros lifted his planes nose up fireing a short burst at the Mako's tail. It began to bleed smoke and broke off.

A Mako behind Coros fired its burst cannon the rounds scortching his fusalarge, it was trying to get him to brake away so they can gun for the Lightning. He cranked his head around moveing his plane's tail, but the other two flanking his pursuer where doing the same thing.

"If no one is busy...could do with some help here!" he shouted into his mask

"Nine, on way ETA thirty seconds, gunning from your six"

"Copy Two need som-" more plasma rounds struck his plane fusing his port engine cables and pipes, metling the armour around his canopy, another round burst through the still hot armour, and tore through his back. Blood filled his mouth as he screamed out in pain. His bolt dipped and another Mako fighter took aim at the recon plane.

Pilot Officer Meron Coros, the son of a famous Colthian gerneral, his side torn and skin cortoised. His flight armour now burning his skin, his vison getting blurry, he could hear voices in his ears.

"Coros, report! Thats an order pilot!" shouted Dakker over the vox

He looks at the mess he was, he could feel the cold air comeing in throug the hole, his plane was stable, but he looked up and could see the Mako hounding the damaged Lightning. He tilted his stick making his bolt level, Dakker was still calling him on the vox, as was Silvas and Operations. His heart beated harder. He then pulled on his stick brining the plane up, black smoke pouring from his wrecked engine.

"Wolf Nine, respond" shouted Silvas as he with Wolves Three, Six and Eight gunned at full burn for intercepte.

Coros didnt respond, he aimed his plane at the Mako, getting it in the center of his gunsights. Using his weaker left hand he pushed as hard as he could muster on the throttle leaver, his plane lit burners gunning for the enermy. He could feel his left leg going numb, his plane shook violently, his wonuded engine screamed as it was pushed beyond its limits. The collition alarm shouted at him, as did other of the squad

"Coros, what are you doing? Eject, Eject for Thrones sake!" shouted Delmont

"Nine, bail out thats an order pilot!" shouted Silvas

"Im sorry boss, I cant follow your orders...Wolves it has been an honour, think well of me...FOR THE EMPORER!"

A large explostion errupted in the air behind the Lightning almost knocking it out of the sky. They all saw a wing and tail section falls to the water burning.

Silvas's eyes filled up with tears, not another one...no, he thought as he looked at the reming two Mako's "Wolves clear my skies", he got mulitple responses. and soon the two Tau planes where stung quickly "All" he paused "All remining planes RTB" he said in a solum tone.

The Wolves returned to their base, no words where spoken during their long flight, on the ground each one felt numb. Coros always seemed to brighten the mood with an odd joke or riddle. One of the Wolves top scorers but never wanted to fight for glory. He had belived his requestss where met soly beacuse of his farthers legacy, the same major general Ferous "Fearless" Coros that Silvas had served under during his time on the ground, who was now in another war zone, the message of his son's death wouldnt reach him for weeks.

Delmont noticed Coros' locker door ajar "Forgot to secure it again" he said, they laughed, for he was always forgetting to secusre something, many times it was his money. Delmont opend the door and saw a journal sitting on the middle shelf. The others looked at his medals, "I wondered why he never wore them" said Dakker eyeing the large golden medal in the center, the Imperial Honour Medal only given to a few who have served above and beyond the call of duty for the Imperium.

"Hey guys, it seems Coros was keeping a journal"

"Put it back, it could be private, something his farther should see"

Delmont didnt listen he opend the book at the last page Coros was writing in befor he went out, it read _The Wolves, a good group, smart and disiplined, and cunning just like the real ones back home. I still cant belive my luck, and I thank the Emporer every day for giving me a chance to fight with these guys. Since we lost Mers a few days ago, the major has been working hard to keep the wing together, and scuseded. Dakker was a good choice as number Two. _

_I recived a letter from my farther again, asking me why I havent applied my self to become a full officer. I keep telling him I do this job for the love and the honour to fight for the Emporer and the Imperium, I will need to repond to that letter soon _the entry ends there

Rai found a pile of letters "Hey what are these?" he said picking them up, he looked through them, and found one with the Colthian shield crest in its header "Boss, i think this one was addressed to you" handing the letter to Silvas, who took it, looking at it "It is my gratest pleasuer to annouce that Pilot Officer Coros, Meron, to be promoted to the rank of Flight Lt. due to his actions and going above and beyond the call of duty. He is an asset to his wing, the Colthian Miltary and the Imperium, signed Flight Marshel Dermat Fench" he said aloud "The little son-of-a.. he knew I would promote him if I saw this"

The held a short maorial for Mers and Coros, but the activity from the rest of the base didnt stop. More sorties had launched, the Wolves where slotted to take a twilight flight but ended up just after midnight, a large bomber wing spotted glassing the Gaurd bases alone the low beaches, heavy bombers. The Imperials sent to intercepted shot down seventeen of them, with only three lost. Silvas breathed a sigh of relifed that no other Wolves where lost today. The pilots hadent taken off thier flight gear since 07:45 that morning.

"They are stepping up their attacks, getting bolder" said Dakker looking at a display from Operations

"Too bold, where are we ment to be getting the Maruders?" asked Silvas taking a swig of his water flask

"Soon, next five hours they say. they are flying low. The brass belive they have recon flights in high orbit, relaying intel on us. The Navy have shot down a few probes but nothing to indicate reconnisance"

"The brass always worrie too much, if we had a Colthian commander in charge we would already be on the main land"

"Agreed, but they have a _grand plan_ that has to remain on shedual, good kill by the way"

"Humm?"

"That Baracuda, tore its cockpit right off"

"Oh that, just a lucky shot, got in the way of that large bomber I was after"

"Did you sting it?"

"No, but that cuda did some damage on it broke off befor it could start its bombing"

Rai entered "Er, Boss, they want you over at the main building, the pics the Lightning took are ready"

"Thanks Rai, Daxs your in charge untill I get back"

"What do I do if theres a snap call?"

"Well take who you need and leave the others, I will be back as soon as I can"

As Silvas exited the hanger he striped off his flight armour. He saw the limoseane that had been sent for him. But he eyed a six-wheel drive troop truck "Driver" he called up

"Sir?" the driver responded

"Are you going past main Ops and Admin?"

"Er, yes sir, doing my rounds delivering parts to each wing I have to go pasted to get to the other end of the base"

"Mind if I catch a ride?"

"Oh not at all sir, hop on"

He climbed up and clung on to the side of the cab, rideing on this thing reminded him of his Guardsman days, in the back of a cramped, hot Cimeria or on a hard seat of a Ducer made him feel more alive

"If you dont mind my asking sir, why not take that fancy car they sent ya?"

"Its a Colthian thing, officers dont like to distance them selves from their men. It makes us better leaders. Would you follow a man who sits in luxuery while you are waist deep in the mud?"

"Trurthful sir?"

"No Commisars will know I promise"

"Well No, I wouldnt...but Im not infantry, Im just a transport drone I drive what they want me to drive to where they tell me"

"If this was a Colthian base, you would be a soilder first and a driver second"

"Thanks, I think. Oh here we are" The drive pulled the truck over, and Silvas jumped down from the cab, he waved to the driver as he jogged into the main Operations building

He was escorted by two Navy guards into the large brefing room.

The same commanders from the last time he was there had returned, but there was another. He was sitting in the far cornor smokeing a large cigar.

"Breffing begins" stated the Guard commander

"Recording" reponded the lone servitor behind them.

"The Lightning you helped return has comeback with some interesting by very disturbing images"

"How disturbing sir?" asked Silvas

"Major, do you know what a Manta class ship is?"

The major thought for a moment "Its a large assulte craft, caplable of carrying two of their APCs, and Hammerhead tanks, several of thier comabt suits and up to thrity of thier troops"

"Just one of those craft can make and secure a beach head, what do you think ten of them can do?"

"Thats a foothold invation"

"And what can you fliers do about them?"

"Yes" they other commanders demanded, Silvas could hear all their voices, he clentched his fists, he was about to speak unitll

"Enough!" shouted a much lounder voice "Let the major speak"

"Thank you sir" he said, he then turned to the other officers "We fliers can secure the air, but all that effort and the lives that have been lost or will be, would be invane. We need those Mauarders. A full bombing camping"

"But those Manta craft major have you forgotten them?"

"No sir, they have their own defenses and will have escorts. We need to hit them on the ground where they are far more vanulerable"

"Your fighters are more manuvaerable then a fully laiden Maruder, why cant you hit them in strafing runs?" asked the Navy officer

"Sir have you ever seen of those things up close?"

"I cant say that I have"

"I have, sirs. Its a monster. Not even a Baneblade one of the most powerful tanks we have could make a dent in its thick armour. I saw its guns turn two Leman Russ's into scrap, and it cut down a hole platoon with his cannons. It can servive Earthshaker rounds and heavy rounds from all sorts of Imperial armour, the only thing we had that made any sort of dent was a Hydra. We had three left and they made damage. The fast moving and muilitple cannon round dented and buckled its plateing. A Tunderbolt can cuse some damage, but it would only delay it. We need much more heavier ordenace, high explosvie, bunker busting bombs to destory it, and we need to hit them on the ground"

"We would be putting more lives at risk, we will need to Maruders to clear a landing zone for the air assulte troops" stated the Guard general

"You are forgetting who you are talking to, Commander" the louder voice said

"Then remind us, General"

The man stood up, putting out his cigar end with his fingers, it hissed as the heat touched his flesh. "You are talking to a grate hero of the Imperium. This is Hans Silvas, Major, Imperial Guard. He secured the Korsan beach for the main landing force. Bezzean Gorge, a frozen death world. He took command and lead his men to grate victory and refused the Eldar the passage"

"And at a grate cost sir"

"They will be remember all the same major. His deeds are long and many and even the God Emporer has heard of his deeds. I have had the privilage to be both his and his farthers commander. Both are damn fine officers. He can lead men into the gates of hell, and come back reday to go again. You forget, we are Colthians, we are born warriors. Push us and we push back, you will give the major what ever he wants, and you will like it"

"On whos authority?"

The officer pulled out a letter, sealed with the aquilla and made of the finest paper "On mine, Supreim General Argas Fellan, Segmentum Command"

Silvas's eyes widened, could it be the gratest Colthian to ever live is right here on Theron V. And now a Supreim General. A smile went across his lips _If we had a Colthian commander was in charge we would be already on the main land _Dax had said to him befor.

"I have been seeing how you have lead this war, allowing the Tau to walk all over you and push you right back. In only four months"

"We did fight back"

"NO, you Didnt, your men fought back, they lay dyeing in the streets they covered your worthless asses. A Colthian commander would stay and fight with his men, and even bleed with them if the Emporer deecreed it. You can not lead men from the rear commanders. It would seem once again, the Colthians have to clean up your mess. I will be running Operations, I will expect all of you in my officer shortly" he looked to Silva's direction "Major"

He snapped to attention "Sir"

"You are at ease, I will want to speak to you first"

"Sir" he said and turned on his heels to exit

"Now Air Commendant, get those Maruders here, like your life depended on it"

"Y-yes sir" said the shaking Air commander

"And remember, it certanly dose" General Argas said as he exited the breffing room.

Out side the room, the general called Silvas over

"Sir" he said sauluting

Argas smiled "No need to be so formal my boy" he said laughing

"Im sorry sir, force of habit"

"Indeed. I heard you lost two of your wing"

"Yes, Capitan Mers and Pilot Officer Coros"

"Shame, damn fine pilots, I served with Coros' farther for many years, he was so proud of his boy. And Mers, a man I had to once drag out of a burning Chimera by his boots"

"True soilders untill the end sir"

"They will be missed, about what I said befor about-"

Silvas put up his hand to stop the officer "My father was a soilder of the Imperium untill the end, he died honorably in combat. I want to remember him as such"

"Very well major"

"What are the plans?"

"I cant go into much, but I can tell you this. The Tau have been moving through the captured cities with purpose"

"Purpose? I didnt know they even had one"

"A Navy destroyer, the _Writh _picked up a coded signal, it was embedeing with a Guard becon signal. Theres still loyal Guard still on the mainland, they are fighting a resistance movement. I have plan to help them"

The general put his arm around Silvas's shoilder and talked length of his plan.

"You think they go it?" asked the Guardsman maning a heavy bolter emplacement

"I hope so" said his loader "they where exited when they got the vox mast active"

"You think the fly boys can help us?"

"Yeah, well I hope so"

"Me too" the gunner said as he racked his breach back feeding the ammunition belt to the weapon

The Resistance camp was set up in an abaondoned munistions factory, still had stock piles of weapons. On a far wall were a notice board of the factory's bullitens would of been was a row of dog-tags, Guardsmen who fell in re-taking and securing this factory. Each one will be rembered. The facility its self was over three miles long, and twice that wide. It had a large wall all around its preimiter and was situated on the out skirts of the Thesda city limits. There was alot of activity, but that cesed when ever a Tau aircraft went over head. Giving the impresstion the factory was still dead.

Down the main stairs to the loading docks was a make shift trauma ward, the two surving field medics along with medical staff from a hospital where treating the wonded. Many would still die. They had no offical priste, just Sergeant Derman, who desided a life of presthood was not for him and enlisted into the Guard. He could still proform the last rights, a task he really hated to do.

Down further into the former stores a makeshift brig was made. In one cell was two captured Tau Firewarriors, stripped of their armour and weapons. In the second sat four Guardsmen who sided with the Tau. Further down the hall way a fifith human auxillary was being interigated, the old fashinoned Guards way.

"TELL YOU TRATORIS FILTH" shouted a bear backed trooper, his body wet from the beating he was giving this younger soilder.

The soilder groand after the savage beating "Talk I said" shouted the shirtless trooper as he punched the younger trooper.

"Ease up Gorkan, he cant talk with a broken jaw" said a voice from the shadows, he stepped forward putting out his ilho stick "Now son, we really dont want to do this, but, you see, to the eyes of the Emporer, your a trator. Now you are lucky there are no commissars here, other wise you would be up infront of a fireing squad, and we cant spare the ammo. You have been to their base yes?"

The trooper nodded, blood pouring from his mouth and nose

"Do you know what kind of defenses they have?"

The trooper shook his head

"Waste of time, he's lying to us, let me beat it outta him" snarled Gorkan, a big Terman brute

"You check your self soilder, and save that energy for the real fight" the smoking soilder shouted to Gorkan as he looked over his shoilder. He looked back at the beaten trooper "Now tell me why you dont know about their defenses"

The trooper spat out more blood "They...they never showed us, we...we where kepted away from any systems, and locked up untill we were needed, I swear I'm telling the truth"

The smoking soilder put his hand on the boys shoilder "How old are you son?"

"E-eighteen sir" he said looking up at him

"Why did you join them? why did you turn your back on the Imperium?"

The beaten kid looked down at his boots blood on them and the floor "orders" he said simply

"Whos orders?"

The boy winced closing his eyes, I tell you and you will kill me anyway, he thought "C-cornol Verga"

"Cornoal Jos Verga?" asked Gorkan

The boy nodded, expecting another beating. The smoking soilder looked up to Gorkan " Go ask those other Guardsmen who was their CO, then tell the Capitan"

"What about him?"

"Leave it to me, no go thats an order"

Gorkan turned and ran out the door to the cell where the other guardsmen where held

"Who was your CO?" he asked them

"Cornoal Verga" one of them spoke

"Dammit" Gorkan said befor he ran back and up the stairs to find the capitan.

"Gork must of heard something bad" said of of the cell guards.

The Capitan stood in his make shift command center, the former obersvation and control for the factory. "Sir" a voice said behind him "Guardsman Gorkan wants to see you"

"Send him in" the capitan spoke

The shirtless trooper enterd then snaped to attention, saulting "Sir"

"Your out of uniform soilder, this better be important" the capitan said sipping his caffien

"It is sir, something you have to hear"

"Speak"

"Sir, those men we captured, all had the same commanding officer"

"And that is?"

"Coronal Jos Verga, sir"

The capitan stoped dead in his track, he put down his caffieen drink, and turned to face Gorkan. The Capitan, was a capitan from the 121st Korvan Heavy Infantry he gathered up the remains of other units and fored up the Imperial Resitance. They saw the chance to fight back.

"I want to talk to them personaly, have them seperated from the Tau"

"Sir" Gorkan saulted and exited.

The Captian leaned agenst a control concel, looking out to the runied city in the distance "I will find you Verga, and you will pay for your crimes"

After hours of interigation, it was found out that Cornoal Verga had ordered and from reports made by two of the Guardsmen, he had enforced the surender, by exicuting two officers and the Commissar assinged to them. Another Guardsman was also exicuted to make his point stick. befor Col. Verga was an Imperial hero from the Kelvery 22nd. But now he forced his own regiment to surender to the Tau. Why? What was his reason? The Guardsmen had said they only agreed to become auxillaires to advoid the beatings, and possible exicutions. Befor thier petrol had been attacked they where planning to escape and try to re-join the Guard.

"So what do we do with them?" asked Sergeant Derman

"Doc, whats the boys status?"

"Alot of face truma, hes concuste and dazed, surprising he could remember his name after all of this. Did you have to hit him so hard Gorkan?"

The Termainian shruged "Did the job didnt it?"

"Whats gonna happen to us sir?" asked of of the captive Guard

"Well normaly you would be charged with treson and exicuted with out a moments pause, but given the situation your own commander put you in, as long as you swear your loyalty and use what you know to help us retake that airfiled, your past crimes can be forgotten. But be warned should this be a trick, my men have orders to terminate all of you"

"Understood sir"

"Very well, make nice with the men you will be issued new clothing"

"Sir, It just occured to me, we could use a couple of them to brake into the base"

"I see your point, Gorkan and Derman can be used as pisoners to infultrate the perimiter"

The Mauraders where now only six hours out, but the forward base was more alive now, with the iminate arrivel of the Colthian Airborne forces, five thousand troops stationed on this small base, the spear head to secure a foot hold on the mainland.

On the ship, their gerneral was making vox comms with the segmentum gerneral on the planet, while he was stroking the muzzle of his Rizor wolfdog, who sat purring in his lap.

"How are the preperation going?" he said into the vox.

"I see, and what of our boys?"

"Another loss, sad"

In the ships cargo bay the men of the 101st whre busy making their final preperations.

"The men will go down in the dropships, while the Valks are sent down by the heavy lifters" said their sergeant

"I still dont like it" snorted Fellas "We should be using Valks, fast and light"

"True, but not all of us will be jumping out of those things. From what I've heard only seven hundred and fifty of us will jump, part of a first wave assulte, to secure a beachhead then the faster Valks will bring the rest in"

"What companies will be jumping?" asked Mers

"Dont know, command said we will know by nightfall planet side, but dont worry we will be spending at least a week befor the operation comences, jumping from a slower moving heavy plane is far differnt then jumping from a fast moving Valk, there is some good news, not all of our allies have been wiped out, there are pockets of resistance all over. Orders will be once you make land, to find and link up with these resistance forces and give them any assistance needed. Priority will be the costal airfield, then the city, once they are ours we will then move up and fight to take the land back and push the Tau back to their landing point"

"What sort of resistance will we face?"

"Un sure, they have been shipping in more of their dropships. So resistance is bound to be heavy. There is another thing, they have Manta class assulte ships, at least six on the deck, possible ten at this station"

The sergeant looked up at the wide eyes on him "For you new ones, they are big landing ships, once on the gound they can cover their troops and vehicals as they deploy, its a fortress and something that can only be killed in the air, so make sure you can reconise one. If you find its fule store or something, use it. The less these things are active the less trouble the fly boys will have"

"If they can handle it then why do we need to kill on on the deck?"

Corpol Mers looked at the trooper for a second "Beacuse" he began "The air units will have their hands full with escorting the bombers, our Valks and keeping the enermy air cover occuiped. They will not have the time to commite and attack they may take a full wing to make. If we happen to find them loading or preping we hit them and not only will it be one less to deal with, but it will put the enermy into a fight of flight mode"

"I hope they stay, I would love to rip one open with my bear hands"

The soilders laughed, even Mers who haddend since he heard the news about his father.

Daybrake, the base had not ceased its lunches since early the pervious day. The Black Wolves had to take the Rattlesnakes slot as their mahines where still being repaired. The wolves scored forty-six more kills. The touched down around sunrise. It felt odd lunching one day and landing the next. The two Navy pilots that Dax, Rai and Delmont had been training had gone up for their first real combat flight. Unfortunetly Pilot Tager Vella was killed when a damaged Lightning crashed on landing and plowed into a near by workshop where he was waiting, six other ground crew and the Lightning pilot where killed also. The looked at the smoldering wreck, since air operations took priority, and most of the base personell where in the underground bunkers removing the wreck would have to wait. Silvas saw a local officer punish the six men who went to the downed fighter. It seemed wrong, they risked their lives to try and rescue others but they where under orders to protect "vital" buildings. He wanted to smack that officer squear in the mouth, but Dax and Rai stopped him "They are locals sir" Rai had said.

As the Wolves entered their Voxcom light was flashing, LesTre ran over to it.

"Wolf Hanger" he said

"Stand by Operation", he looked at Silvas "Sir they want to talk to you"

Silvas sighed and took the mic from LesTre

"Major Silvas here" he spoke into the mic

"Major, this is Operations, We need your squad to run interferance for a supply convoy. Oron patter transports are nearing the brawl zone"

"Negative Opertion"

"This is an order Major, now get your wing up"

"No Operations" he shouted "My wing have been up since dawn YESTERDAY, we have just got back from a brawl, our plane need repaired and my men and I need rest"

"You listen to me Major we nee-"

"NO YOU listen to ME, My Wing are on stand down as of right now, get another wing up there to fight. Wolves out" he shouted louded enough for the fitters to stop what they where doing.

He called over the chief fitter and told them to take off the pannels on their planes, and if they sent someone to explain this will take several hours. The men went to their billets to rest up.

Life should be easier in the Firecast, though Shas'La Mor'Feth as he lay in his cot in the barracks of the Tau warship. He couldnt sleep, perhaps it was the porspect of his Trial By Fire, or that he was close to the engin core and could hear it pulse through out the structre. He got out of his cot and walked over to his locker. Passing his hand over a blue light, it opend, in side where his personal possetions from the home world he took out one inperticular. A small circal shaped object. He pressed a button on the object and a small hologram projected up from it. It showed two female Tau and a much older male Tau. He looked at the symbals move slowly across them, he smiled, his family. His father a proud Crisis suite commander, who now trains the next generaton. His mother a head of a Firecaste manufacuter facility, and his sister much younger. And hoping to one day lead Firewarriors into battle. On Tau it was very rear to allow females to enlist as Fire Warriors, Commander Shadowsun was an exseption, she now set the path for many female Firewarriors, they where normaly set for breeding and paired off with males to incresse the Firecast numbers.

"A very nobal blood line" a voice spoke behind him. He turned and saw Vol'Seth, a path finder, standing behind him

"They are" Mor'Feth said

"You will do them proud, we shall finish the Imperials" Vol'Seth said patting Mor the shouilder.

Morning ship time, the Firewarriors where woken to duty, all of them stood in their fagteiges. Their commander Vas'Merd, wallked up and down the file, his hoofed feet clomping on the metal floor. His left eye set in a Tau augment. "Listen well" he said to them his voice booming and echoing off the walls "We will soon be arriving at our new tour. For many of you young ones, this is your Trial By Fire. For the rest of you, this shouldnt be anything new. We are the left hand of Mont'Ka, and we WILL crush our enermies. Our bond brothers have alreayd secured land for us, we will lead the finial assulte this world now belongs to us. Our ordereds are clear Shas'La, destroy those who opose the Grater Good, and welcome those who embrase it"

"SIR YES SIR" shouted the Shas'La in unison.

"This is unaccseptable" shouted Major Ferman, the lead Maruder pilot, who had just arrived to the forward base. "You have no billots for my men?" he shouted again

"Im sorry sir...we just don-" a rather nervous guardsman said to the towering Morgan pilot

"Dont what you worm? speak thats an order"

"It dosnt help you shouting at him" a voice said from behind the group

Major Ferman turned, Morgain's dont like to be talked back to. Its a show of force apperntly.

"Who dares talk to me like that?" he spat "show your self worm"

The group parted and stood Silvas wearing his flight jacket over a gray vest and his cammo filed baggies, his flight gear sling over his left shouilder "I did"

"You dare speak to me like that, do you not know who I am?"

"Some asshole who likes to make Guardsman piss them selves?"

"Dont talk to our commander like that runt, we will tear you apart" snalred Grasar, Freman's nose gunner.

"I can talk to him how I like, now stand down" Silvas said dropping his flight gear

"And just who is going to make us?" hissed Vles, Fermans top gunner

"I would surgest you tell your men to stand down, otherwise they will get hurt" Silvas said to Freman who was unbottoning his long officer coat

"I will once I have shown you some manner" he growl throwing his long coat to the floor

Silvas saw this and dropped his kit then took off his undone flight coat dropping it on his kit bag. Many had gasped seeing his bear arms. They where scard from many battles he had fought on the groud. He had a regimental tattoo on his right shoilder and a black-coloured aquila on his left. Both arms had tattooed striles along them, this indicated many of the historical battles he had fought in his career. But what made them gasp was the tattoo of the Colthian sheild with the doubble headed eagle clutching it in its talons, this is the emblam of the Colthian elite shock troopers.

Silvas rasied his arms in a fighting poster. Freman was big, a good foot and a half taller then Silvas a common trate amoung Morgaians, but Silvas was born to be a warrior, he looked his opponat square in the eye.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" shouted a voice that echoed through the corridor, it was Capitan Bresan the squad leader of Anudis squadron. Many of the enlisted and lower ranks snaped to attention as he and three of his wing marched down thier heavy boots echoing

"Nothing, just some _friendly _comptertistion" said Freman behind handed his officer coat by his co-pilot

"Friendly? I highly dought it. Your group have been abnocsious since you arrived. If you were'nt so highly needed you wouldnt be here. Now what is your business here?"

"Looking for billets, Capitan" he replied putting on his coat showing his officer rank, of flight commander

Bresan and his men snapped to attention and suluted "Im sorry sir, if you are looking for billets theres an hotel on the edge of the base that should have room"

Freman suluted back sarcasetly he then looked over to Silvas, who was him self picking up his gear "And what about you, where you not told to sulute an officer?"

"I was" Silvas replied not even looking back

"Look at me when I'm talking to you" he shouted, Silvas turned to look at him "Explain why you should be exempte?"

"Last time I checked I didnt have to sulute someone lower then me"

Freman rage grew, he pulled back his arm ready to make an example of Silvas, he saw two men wearing simular uniforms to Silvas, run in and stop, suluting him.

"Sir" said Dax

Silvas suluted back "At ease Dax, what is it?"

"Thought you should know, Ria's flight just got back, they found something, dosnt look good"

"Alright Dax I will you back at the hanger, dissmissed" he said and suluted back

"Rodger boss" Dax said and he and LesTre turned on thier heals and ran back down the corridor

Silvas looked back at Bresan "I will see you in the mess" he said and sultued to him

"See you there sir" Bersan responded and suluted crisply as did the other two of Anubis wing.

"Oh Bresan, tell our new guests who I am" he said with a smirk

"With pleasuer sir" replyed Gause who flew as Anubis Three, he turned to Freman and his men

"Flight Commander Freman, may I introduce Major Hans Silvas of the Colthian 187th"

"The Black Wolves?" asked Grasar

"The very same" said Silvas back to him. And in a thunderous movie all the Morgan crew snapped top attention, all but Freman

"Here we have a simple rule, be curtious to each other, apperntly theres a war on" he spoke to them, there was laughter even amoung the Morgans "Now if you will excuse me I have to get back to my squad" he tured to Capitan Bersan gave him a nod, he then looked back to Commander Freman "Commander, you sulute the rank, not the man"

Freman stood up stright and gave a reluctent sulute, Silvas returned the sulute, turned and exited the room with a smile on his face.

The sea rolled below the cliffs he sat leaning back agenst a rock letting his bear blue skin feel the cooling air, his helmet, body armour, shoulder guard and weapon sat next to him. Not since he was a child had he felt the sea. He had lived on the cost and always loved the sea. He would often help his father fish. But he was destened to become a FireWarrior when the calling for the Grater Good came. But the sea still fansinated him.

"Out of uniform Shas'La?" spoke a voice to his left. The young FireWarrior quickly jumped up and snapped to attention clicking his hooved feet together "SIR" he spoke "I was'nt awear you where their Shas'Vre"

The Shas'Vre removed his helmet and smoothed back his long pony tail, he chuckled "It is quite alright young one you are allowed to relax, are you not on duty?"

"No Shas'Vre I have yet to be assined a posting, I have just arrived here"

"Then you are assigned to my command, report to the barracks befor sun set, carry on"

"Yes Sir" the youngster said

Night full, the sky was full of stars, some new ones appered. Silvas looked up he could see the stars blinking some more rappidly, and more blinking stars appered "What is going on up there?" he asked Dax who was also looking up

"Sir...I think, thats a ship to ship battle going on, it appere our Navy has finally arrived"

In high orbit the Navy battleship _Emporer's Punishment _fired its forward guns at its target a Tau crusier, its rounds punching through its hull destroying deck sections. Many lights on the side flickerd as the large explostions thats ripped through. The alien ship listed hard to port. More rounds fired and detonated across the ships forward second as the _Punishment_ passed it, its side batteries fireing.

On the bridge of the massive Imperial warship its commander Admiral Jamor Sager looked out the massivly large windows so he could see all the destruction his fleet would leave in its wake.

"Make sure no xenos ships survive" he said to his bridge staff

"Aye sir" his head weapons officer reponded "Tell all fire crews to increase fire rate, signal the rest of the fleet" he said to his two junior officers who nodded and ran to their consols

"Sir, detecting two light ships moving behind us"

The crewman was correct, two smaller Tau gunboats moved in behind the larger warship fireing a small salvo of blue plasma rounds at the ships massive engines, the first salvo missed and only damaged a part of the starbord section, the second salv impacted and destroyed only two of the larger ships many samll thrusters, the bridge rocked as they finaly felt the impact.

"Give me damage report, Ensign" asked the Admiral, even in combat he was calm as still water.

"Sir, minor damage to aft secontion. Thrustors E-4 and E-5 are destroyed" responded the Ensign

"Has our main engines and reactor been affected by this?"

"Nagtive sir all systems still read green"

"Helm increase speed, build some distance between use and those that parsue"

"Aye Aye sssir" said a matlic voice, it was of Flight officer Cale, his upper body was damaged many years ago, but he was still the best pilot in the Imperial Navy, as far as Admiral Sager was conserned, he kepted him on, at grate cost. He no longer had a lower jaw and one arm was an augment but the rest of him was still human. And he would never allow this to stop his deuty.

"Enginesss at two-thridsss full, sssspeed incressssing, disssstance from parsssueresss widening"

Sager smiled as he put a hand on a railing he could feel his ship move faster "Thats my darling, I wont let those pests hurt you anymore" he spoke softly stroking the railing as if to soothing a beloved pet "Fire control give me aft battires, target the xenos behind us and fire at will"

"Aye sir, Aft guns full birage"

The cannons pointing to the _Punishment'_s aft opend up, the ten rounds spreads out. One of the Tau gunboats was hit out right and the small ship's forward section explode sending its drive section tumbling through space, the second ship dodged the first and second salvos and moved in close to one of the warships massive engines hiding out of the guns range

"Sir targting has lost the second targe, but still reading its engine radiation, it must be hiding"

Sager closed his eye, and then looked up as if he was looking out the viewscreen "Activeat our main engines at full burn"

"Aye sir, wich one" asked the juinor engineer

"All of them"

"Aye sir, Bridge to Enginroom, main engines at full power full burn, mark"

The five massive thrusters lit up at the same time then a full blast of super heated plasma ignated, the remaining Tau gunboat couldnt turn in time as was turned to atoms by the intense heat. The sudden igniton of their engines pushed the ship forward "Cut engines"

"Aye sir"

The battle was short, but vicotrious the few Tau ships that had survived jumped into the Warp, the ones that not fully destroyed where drifting. The one the _Punishment _had began to shoot at was tumbling down the planet, caught in its gravity.

"Scan all other hulks for life signs and get the carriers to launch fighter sweeps, I want no xneo surviors"

"Aye sir, what of that one heading to the planet?"

Sager looked out the port view window watching the ship slowly turning "Scan it and give me its trajectory of impact"

"Yes sir, checking now" there was as short pause "Sir estimated impact site grid five-one-three-Epsilon-two-six, that will put it right in the sea, here"

Seger looked back and smiled

"But sir thats where a large sea carrier force is located they are spread out in the Eplison reagon"

"And?"

"And sir, there is a possibilty that ship could wipe out half if not more of the sea forces ready to take the main land" the junior officer looked up at the eyes looking at him, he felt stupid speaking out of tounge

"Helm bring us about and aim right for that ship, weapons control give me full torpedo briage as soon as a fireing salution is locked"

"Aye aye sir" both groups shouted, one of them matlic. The massive ship's starbord thrusters ignited pushing the large mass around.

Down in the torpedo room vest and sometimes bear backed crew men heaved large anit-ship torpedos into the ten large chambers "COM'ON YOU DOGS PUT YOUR BACKS INTO IT!" shouted their Chife

"Rounds loaded sir" shouted one of the men as the last chamber door was sealed. The chief flicked a switch "Bridge, Torpedo room"

"Bridge here"

"Torpedos in all ten tubes ready"

"Understood, Sir Torpedos ready to fire"

"Exilent, has the fireing solution been caluclated?"

"Aye sir, targeting secont now programmed into computer, ready to fire on your orders"

Sager pulled out an old style pocket watch, a Navy traditon "Fire" he ordered

"Fire 1, Fire 2, Fire 3, Fire 4, Fire 5, Fire 6, Fire 7, Fire 8, Fire 9, Fire 10" said the weapons control officer

"Sir malfuntion, Tube 10 wont fire"

This didnt matter to Sager, not now, he still had nine powerful warheads on target.

with in seconds he saw nine flashes as the warheads impacted on the target, then followed an ultimalty violet explostion as the ship was ripped part. This brought a smiles to his scared face, he turned to his fire control officer "Check and secure that failed luncher and get it fixed. I dont like the idea of having a live warhead stuck on my ship"

"Aye sir, get fire teams down there to secure that warhead"

"Comms, signal the troopships and tell them it is clear"

"Yes sir" responded his communications officer

The seven large troop ships exited the Warp and entered the orbit of the planet

"Signal the fleet, I want to know if we lost any ships"

"Aye sir, fleet responding, zero, repeat zero losses, a few ships suffered some damage when targest exploded but nothing that cant be repaired en-route to port"

"Exilent" he gave a pause "What of human losses?"

"Sir only two-hundred-twelve crew lost"

Only two-hundred-twelve? he asked him self. He was unlike many in the Navy, he valued all the men under his command and the two-hundred-twelve souls lost in the Emporer's service was exeptable, but to him even the loss of one soul was too high.

"Ensure the chaplins prepar for those souls for the passing. I want all ships to remain at battle stations. I want the smaller ships to comece secotor petrols round the clock. Tell the carriers to have two squads on fighter sweeps. And have bombers on ready launch"

"Aye sir" shouted a senior bridge officer

"Esssspecting trouble sssssir?" asked Cale as he turned to look at the commander

"I'm always expecting trouble Cale. They could return in force I want to be ready when they do. I am going to my chambers, Capitan Feles your in command. Alert me if anything happens"

"Aye sir" reponded Feles as he stood on the upper bridge deck

The Admiral turned and exited the bridge

"The old man is fateged" whisperd Zel, Cale's second pilot

"He hasss sssseen too many engagementssss and lossssed too many under hissss command"

On board the troopship _Calmer _the men of the 101st Colthian Airborne began their preperations for planet drop. Strapping on their body armour, it was desigend differntly to the standered Guard armous, it covered the neck and chest and abdimon along with shin and knee guards and wrist guntlets. Strabbing on their combat webbing over to, grandes, spare charge clips and some of them attatching a non-issued combat knife. Some of them men had thier heads shaved or styled, one trooper was secureing a set of brass knuckels. Such infringements would often be frounded apon but the Colthian commanders allowed it, after all their commander bore big tattoos.

The men marched to an alternative hanger where ther dropships where wating. Two Navy crew stood by the doorway, one holding a Colthian hawk, the regiments mascot, it spread its wings as the men past it, to them this was a good omen. The other was holding, with some difficulty, the company razor wolf each man petted it on the head. The beast was tall and it long busy tail wagged as it was petted.

The only men left in the hanger where the Valkier crews as they were preparing their craft for transport. The ground troops marched along to another waiting Navy man along with Staff Sergarnt Palins, he was the regimental quatermaster, his job was to look after their weapons. The Navy man opend the large door and Palins went inside he handed them their Las-rifles. Gray coloured some where simple or folded stocks, a few carbines. Each one was numbered and assinged to each soilder. Mears recvied his, the long weapon had a scope mounted on the top, as he was a top marksman this was a nessary addition, under the muzzle where the bayonet would go sat a marker system.

The commanders allowed the mean to customise their own weapons, some just added pictures, the more tech minded made physical modifcations.

They contiuned to the hanger with the dropships waiting, they waitned in line to bord.

"Alright men" started their CO "I have news that the air space is clear of hostiles, how ever enermy anit-air may be another issue, but I'm sure our Navy hosts wont let us down too quickly"

They laughed "Yeah lets hope Sage there dosnt get flight sick" said a trooper down the line

"Hey last time I checked you where the one who puked up on that last drop" Pvt Sage responded, followed by more laughter

"That I agree, alright men just sit back and enjoy the flight, once we are boots on the deck, thats when the real fun begins"

"Talons ARE the best!" shouted another trooper down further, this was followed by cheers and whisling.

The bay doors opend and the massive transport ships where lowerd. The other two troopships where in the same possiton, this was a fast drop. The ships own momentum along with the planets graivty would make the ships fast and near impossible to hit, for many this was a dreaded drop, but for the Talons they loved this kind of drop.

"We should be planet side in a few minuets so keep those straps tight" said the dropship pilot.

The clamps relised and the large dropships fell from their carrier.

Inside the men where jurked around vioently as the pilots struggled to keep control, there was one major drawback with a fast drop. The chance one ship couldnt recover in time and would either burn up on re-entery or slam into the ground. It has happend on more then a few occations.

The new addtions where showing thier fear during the decent, the one oposite Mers was looking incresingly nervous "Hey trooper" he shouted to him, he looked over to Mers

"Whats your name?"

"Zelar, sir" the trooper reponded

"Zelar, you will be fine, and its Corporal"

The ship shuddered and dropped sharply. Out side the large dropships where banking hard left and right to avoid the ground fire for the Serpent anit-air units. One suffered damage on it port engin and was trailing smoke, coming up from behind them three squads of Meko fighters, each one gunning for the big Imperial transports. One of the Mekos whas closing in on the wounded dropship ready for the kill, its pilot lined up the gunsights then it was suddenly riped out of the sky by heavy las fire. Four groups of six Thunderbolts tore into the Tau formations, at the lead was the Black Wolves their quad cannons blazing. The once disiplined formation suddnely broke apart as more of them fell under the merciless Imperial fighters "No mercy" was the order given. Some of the Mekos still attemepted to shoot down the dropships, they where soon facing the crafts own heavy bolters turrets, thanks to the apperance of the allied fighters they had time to travers and target the enermy.

A Meko chased after one of the Wolves, the pilot alined up on the dropship then suddenly spun and dived under it, he was leading the Tau right into the gunners range, the top and rear turrets opened up tearing the small craft apart, it then erupted in a fire ball and fell to the ground. The reming Mekos broke off their attack and bured for home.

"They're running!" shouted Anubis Five

"Do we continue?" asked Wolf Six

"Negative, we cover the dropships to the base, all planes go into escort formation"

"Boss, Inbound at three-one-six hard return five contact" said Dax as he was flying overwatch

"Copy Two, I see them. Operations, any other planes in the air heading three-one-six?"

"Wolf Leader, confermation on contacts they are ours, leader is the famous Red Baron"

"Understood, whats their destination?"

"Thats classifed Major, now get those dropships home" a much senior voice jumped in

"Copy we are RTB" he responded, then flicked the vox to the rest of the flight "Wolf Leader to all planes, maintina escort formation and return to base"

"Classifed mission?" shouted Silvas, his voice bouncing off the walls in the central chamber "I thought I was cleared for all operational info"

"You are Major" replied the Colthian Gerneral "Why was I not informed of this mission Commendant?"

"We didnt feel it was nessary sir" replie the Commendant sitting back in his large leather chair actiong smug

The general narrowed his eyes "I will be speaking to High Command about this, and our converastion isnt over" he turned and stormed out of the office, Silvas not far behind.

"Whiyn little runt, he has no back bone"

"I agree sir, but Rickov was borught in from another base"

"This feels like an insulte, IF Sgementum allowed a full Colthian comman this war would be won"

"Again I agree, but we are small cogs in a very large warmahine, our voices dont seem to matter"

The commander sighed leaning agenst the wall, Silvas tried not to notice the respected officer showing signed of defeat, he thought of something to say to the old man. He didnt like seeing his and his fathers mentor look so frail. "Your far from being put out to pashter yet Sir, you still have a few more wars left in you, And theres the new boots to whip into shape"

The general looked to Silvas, and smiled "This old war horse isnt done just yet, and your right Major, who else is going to show the new boots how to fight the Colthian way. But I fear this war will be my last. I plan to retire once this world is liberated. I may take up farming or..."

"Or Command of the PDF and form a top defensive and offensive regiment, sir?"

The general smiled more laughing "Dont see me as a farmer type do you?"

Silvas shook his head "No sir, I know you, you dont feel happy with out a las pistol by your hip, and the sound of a Chimera around you"

"What did I always tell you boys befor a battle? Treat your rifle like your brother, your mother, your lover..."

"Beacuse on the field, you wont find any other" Silvas continued

"Ah yes, we are soon becoming the old war horses now. Fighting for the Emporer and the Imperium is a young mans game"

"Experiance can come in two forms, the first is age. That is if you live long enough. The second comes from the fire, it burns, you will remember this for the next time"

"Very poetic Major, who said that?"

Silvas smiled to the old officer "You did sir, we where all forged in fire of combat"

"Would you mind helping an old man to grounds, theres many new boots to inspect"

The two men walked down the long hallway suluting the personell as they passed.

The day had been filled with the consent arrival of more Navy dropships. Large colums of soilders moving around, many where helping unloading of the supplies the new arrivals brought with them. The first flight of Colthian Valkieres had been prepared for a shake down run, more are on their way.

Outside the Wolves hanger the pilots watched as thier brothers joined them, offering sulutes, cheeres of encoragement. Rai was stitting in a Valture cockpit getting a pep-talk on how it differs to a Thunderbolt. Ramos and Jax where jogging beside a group in their PT gear. Each Colthian unit didnt distance its self from the others, when they where on the same posting they would all help each other out. The Wolves fitters where helping the Talons with their aircraft, others where running or helping out with drills.

The Talon's commander flanked by two Guardsmen came up to the other pilots who where just enjoying the show "A little taste of home" he said to them

They all suddenlly snaped to attention "At ease boys" he gestered "you know how much I hate formalities, I have something for you, send directly from Coltian Centeral Command"

The pilots watched the Guardsmen put the big wooden case down, and one of them opend it. Inside where bottles of the finest Colthian wine, brandies and other liquors

"Now this is what I call the Finest" said LesTre

"I always thought it was the richest of the rich who could get this stuff"

"In a way yeah, but they love hearing our forces war stories, and the Black Wolves are no accseption, all donated to the Colthian War effort" said the commander

"Well guys looks like we have a new reason to end this war"

"Make sure the donations dont go to waste"

"ATTENTION ON DECK" shouted a voice and all the Colthians stood to attention their boots hitting the ground in unison. They looked as their filed commander walked beside Major Silvas. The Genreal in his gray uniform, a big silver ealge's head on his left shouilder. He walked down the line, all the soilders, young and old gave the old man the biggest respect. He was helped up as he climbed on top of a Chimera APC. All eyes turned to him. He riased his gloved hand, clentched a fist and brought it to his chest "Victory" he spoke his voice as loud as any jet engine "We march forth, Kill all who stand in your way. TO VICTORY!" he shouted, all the men roard out, cheering, whisilng. Colthian commanders where not known for their speaches, but when the spoke, only a few words where needed.

Silvas found Cpl Mers checking his rifle, the young soilder didnt notice someone near him until he heard a heavy boot crushing on lose gravel, he jumped up snapping to attention "SIR" he said suluting. The Major suluted back "You expect to kill the enermy with this Corporal?, Name and rank soilder"

"Sir, Corpal Jace Mers, Sir"

Silvas grabed his weapon, and gave it a close examination, checking its firing system and down its scoped sight, he then threw it back to Mers, who caught it then put it into his parade stance "Sir if my weapon is not satisfactory I will fix it untill it is so, sir"

Silvas began to laugh "At ease son" he steped from the shadows "I know your weapon is fine"

"I was able to field strip a las-pistol befor I could walk" Jace responed now at ease but still at attention.

"Your father would be so proud of you now Jace, standing here in your unifrom, he always spoke highly of you"

"He never showed it"

"It was his way, he was a serious soilder, but I knew, everytime he spoke of you and Las, his eyes would fill up. He wouls say its just fumes or dust to wave it off, but I knew"

"For my whole childhood, I never once saw him smile, it was only when I told him I had been accsepted into the Talons did he smile, and tell me he was proud"

Silvas nodded "Spoken to your mother yet?"

"No sir, been busy helping out"

"You can go, take a little brake, she would be grateful to see you. Heard anything about Las?"

Jace shruged his shouilders "Not snice I shipped out, last heard he was heading for the Corva system.

"Lets hope hes haveing as much fun as we are huh" said Silvas

"Knowing him sir, he will make it fun"

Dusk fell over the base, and still the activity was endless. The two new deliveries where made during the afternoon. A special edition to the drop troops.

Two long coloums of tanks stood silent, next to them Sentinal walkers. Each one delicalty modifed for combat drops. There had been a couple of sorties durnig the day, the Wolves had just got back from theirs climbing down from their planes Delmon kicked his bording ladder "I cant belive it got me!" he snapped

"Took a bit of a pounding sir" said a fitter "hole tail and rudder needs replaced"

"I could of got it" Del snapped again

"And you would of ended up a flaming wreck Del" said Silvas, he turned to the fitter "How long will it take to get fixed?"

"Not long sir"

"Define not long" ordered Dax

"Three hours tops" replied the now nervous fitter

Silvas looked back at Delmon's plane "You got one, get moving"

"Yes sir" he said and ran off to the machine shop

Silvas turned to his wing "Dax debrief, Rai, Del, Blane my office now"

The three men stood in Silva's office, Dlemon was looking nervous, he didnt like big offices, it always ment he was in trouble

"How many times has this happend to you?" Blane asked Rai

"Oh alot, at school I was in the heads office every other day"

"I dont like this...hes gonna take my bars" said Delmon

The door opend behind them and Silvas marched in "This will be short gentelmen" he said "Lt. Rai, your showing exilent piloting skills, but you got too cocky. I'm happy I saw that Orca go down and take some of thier tanks and anti-air with it, but you where almost caught in it. Dont do that again, you got lucky, and I dont want to see you use it all up befor this tour is over"

"Noted sir" said Rai

"Blane, good flying, and those three kills you earned, but you must always remeber the golden rule of air combat, never stick with a target, if it loses you brake off and go hunting, you might find it again soon"

"Sir" responded Blane

"Flight Lt. Delmon"

"si-sirHe gulped

"Fine kill, but you exposed your self too much, and he was leading you into a trap"

"But I stung him befor-"

Silvas raised his hand to stop him "I dont care, you where foolish and reckless and you put my self and Jax at risk"

Delmon looked down

"Witch is why Im giving you this" he hands him a medal case "you showed balls son I need men who can take what they learnt and improve it. You saw it was a trap and you stung him hard then pulled off"

"So why where you and Jax going after me sir?"

"We wanted to make sure you had it right, if not we could cover, if so we could hit those other Mekos" he smiled "I want to keep my pilots alive, you proven your self today Del

Delmon blushes a little, he hadnt felt any praise for a long time, that was back when he enlisted in the Emporer's service "Thank you sir"

"All of you are on stand down, snap and intercept calls pending. Enjoy your time men, you've earned it"

Ria, Delmon and Blane all snapped to attention and suluted "Yes Sir" they called in unison.

High above the plains the five large engined planes crused through the clouds in formation. On board where the chosen companies to jump out of them. All of the Guardsmen sat in their full combat jump gear, chutes conneted to hooks so when they jumped they would deploy.

"We're appochign the drop zone, ETA six minuets" their company commander shouted over the noise of the plane, a trooper next to him signing what the CO was shouting, by tapping his watch and putting up six fingers

"Equipment check" the commander shouted, the trooper patting his own gear.

Each of the men checked the man to their right and in front of them, making sure they where all hooked in and secure. Jace was checking the young short trooper infront of him "How the hell did you pass selction Midg?"

"Sheer luck Jace" he replied as he was checking the trooper infront.

After each one was checked they would tap the trooper's helment to indicate they where all ready. One was not, a trooper put his hand up at the rear of the group, the commander saw this and notioned his two XOs to see the trooper. One of hte XOs used his radio "Sir, Trooper Cales's main chute line is worn, harness slipping off him" the commander shook his head, he used his radio to the flight crew "Turn us around no jump at this time"

"Rodger, we are RTB"

After the plane had landed and powered down the troops climbed down the ramp and the rear. The commander his XO and the two troopers where being questioned by the Talons commander

"The chute line is wore sir, and Trooper Cales's harness is fraded, it wont connect on to his armor"

"Why did you not mention this befor take off?"

"Sir" Cales started "I was handed this gear from supplies, my own harness went missing, this was a spare"

The commander examined the trooper more closly, he noticed the pattern in het harness didnt match the troopers uniform cammo pattern "I want to see the store room where this was kept, the rest of you are on stand down for a few hours, leave your gear by the plane"

Jace, Midge and Forge made their way to the Wolves hanger, all of them where their resting some in full flight gear waiting for a snap call two sat in their planes "Major Silvas Sir?" Jace aksed

The Major sat up looking out of his bolt, Serial 21, "Whos asking?"

"Corporal Jace, sir" he said standing to addention


End file.
